


Pretend That You Love Me

by tessafreakingvirtue



Series: The Wedding Date AU [1]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Escort, F/M, Sexual Tension, THERE’S ONLY ONE BED, The Wedding Date AU, Wedding, date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2020-12-07 21:57:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 80,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20983022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tessafreakingvirtue/pseuds/tessafreakingvirtue
Summary: Tessa hires an escort to attend her sister's wedding with her. You know how this ends.orThe Wedding Date AU you didn't know you wanted, featuring Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.





	1. Tessa Is Totally Fine (Except When She Isn't)

**Author's Note:**

> As requested on Twitter, my take on The Wedding Date (2004) starring Tessa and Scott. Some storylines have been altered because they don't fit, but all the key elements are going to be here. I promise.

“Oh, God, you look so beautiful.” Jordan’s dark eyes surveyed her sister in the reflection of the trifold dressing mirror, tracing from her slim ankles to the casual top knot into which her dark brown hair had been tied. She shook her head, a displeased frown spreading across her lips. “I don’t know, maybe I picked the wrong Maid of Honor dress.” 

Tessa eyebrows furrowed, her eyes turning to her own reflection, studying the way the rose-colored gown hugged her slender hips and flared slightly where it met the ground, Tessa’s delicate fingers lifting the material to study it with more scrutiny. 

“Oh, no. Why? Does it look bad?” She raised her eyes to her older sister’s face, accented by her arched eyebrows and the lines that traced her forehead. 

“No!” Jordan smacked playfully at her, rolling her eyes. “You look incredible. I picked the wrong dress because you’re going to outshine me at my own damn wedding.” Jordan grinned, brushing a dark strand of Tessa’s hair behind her ear. 

“No,” Tessa shook her head, feeling the flush of bashfulness as it flooded her face. “There’s no way. You’re going to look so perfect, Jord. If you think it’s too much, I can always-”

“Tess,” Jordan caught her eyes, shaking her head quickly, “relax, yeah? You’re so uptight.” 

Tessa knew the words weren’t meant as an insult, and even if they had been, it wasn’t exactly something she could deny. She’d always been the careful sister, the cautious one. She’d grown up on the periphery of Jordan’s reign of greatness, her athletic career and accomplishments always overshadowing Tessa’s own. Three years younger, but always the watchful one, even when she hadn’t needed to be. 

Tessa forced a smile, heaved an exasperated sigh before returning her eyes to the mirror to study the gown as it draped her. She was quiet, her teeth worrying her lower lip before Jordan sent a pointed elbow into her side in a jovial attempt to disrupt her anxieties. 

“Hey,” she quipped, “I’m kidding. You’re going to look amazing, I’m going to look amazing. Now come on, get your skinny ass out of that dress and let’s go grab some lunch. I’m starving.” 

The gown flowing in a garment bag behind them, they departed the bridal boutique and crossed onto the sidewalk, Jordan striding one step ahead of her. Tessa darted through the crowd, clutching the hanger between her fingertips, her sister’s dark hair elegant and silky against her shoulders as she moved. 

It was late November in Toronto, the temperature was frigid enough to cause Tessa to pull her pea coat tighter around her petite frame, nuzzling her face into the fleece warmth of the cream scarf tucked into the collar. She felt her nose and cheeks growing colder by the moment, gasped as a breath of wind wrapped its icy fingers around them before continuing its assault on other pedestrians. 

They ducked into a bistro a few blocks away, Jordan holding up two fingers to the hostess behind the wooden podium before she led them away from the blustery cold and into the warmth interior of the café. As they settled into their seats, Tessa shrugged out of her jacket and unwrapped the scarf from her graceful neck, watching as Jordan did the same. 

She’d always admired her sister; that was a given, wasn’t it? Younger sisters looked up to the older ones. They wanted to be more like them, dress like them, talk like them. Tessa had watched Jordan with wide, dreaming eyes as the older Virtue had ascended through the ranks of ice dancing, moving from junior competitions to senior, from Grand Prix to Worlds, culminating in a series of Olympic wins with her ice-dance partner-turned fiancée. Last year, she’d been considered the best in the world, and Tessa had watched her with an envy that she couldn’t quite justify due to the fact that Jordan was just _so damn nice_. 

Through the years of watching her older sister at competitions and events, observing her graceful flow, her skates cutting the ice, her partner Charlie lifting her into the air as if she were weightless, Tessa had found a sense of wonder. It was romantic, it was beautiful. She watched each performance with baited breath, not realizing until her sister had been returned safely to the glassy surface that she’d been barely breathing. 

When Jordan and Charlie had retired early this year, the world had mourned. Each new article that was published, each interview that aired on television reported the news as if they’d been diagnosed with fatal diseases rather than made the decision to step away from the ice to focus on their pending nuptials. It had caused waves in the figure skating world; hordes of their fans had thrown themselves at the mercy of the couple, begging them not to say goodbye. Tessa had watched it all through her computer screen, amazed but not entirely surprised by the reaction. 

Jordan narrowed her eyes now, tilting her head to study Tessa. 

“What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Tessa’s eyes were drawn back to her, the hint of a smile creeping onto her lips. 

“Nothing,” she lied, murmuring a veiled thank you to a waiter who deposited two glasses of ice water at their table, “I just can’t believe that in just a little over two weeks, you’re going to be married. It’s just so surreal. It feels like we should still be jumping rope in the driveway or something.”

Tessa laughed, used a hand to brush her hair behind her right ear. The dark lock, reluctant to be tamed, fell once more in her face. 

“I know,” Jordan laughed, a crystalline sound that brought a lightness into Tessa’s chest. “Sometimes I still feel like I’m five years old, crying because I don’t want to leave my baby sister to go to Kindergarten.” She grinned, her face alight with joy and fondness. Jordan’s slender fingers gripped at the menu, the large diamond that dotted her left ring finger catching the light. 

“Thank you,” Jordan’s hand crept along the table, approaching Tessa’s fingers and curling around them affectionately. “Thank you so much for doing this. For being my Maid of Honor. For all of the hard work you’ve put in to make this so special.” 

Tessa watched her, studied the sudden downward turn of her lips, the way her eyes crinkled just a bit in the corners. There was a sudden, inexplicable sadness in her eyes and Tessa blinked, focused on her face. 

“Jordan? What’s wrong?” 

“Tessa,” Jordan spoke her name softly, slowly, “I have to tell you something.” 

“What is it?” Tessa met her eyes, swallowed the bundle of nerves in her throat. When her sister didn’t respond, Tessa tapped her fingers against the small café table. “Jordan, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?” 

“Please don’t hate me.”

“Jordan, I could never. Just… what is it?”

It took another long moment for Jordan to finally speak, her eyes flickering with something like regret. 

“Brad’s going to be at the wedding.” 

The simple sentence was enough to set off the alarms in Tessa’s head, the pounding of her heart and the racing of her thoughts. She hadn’t heard his name spoken aloud in three months, hadn’t dared to allow herself to spend more than a moment lingering on his memory, the man who had broken her heart and left her the dejected woman she’d somehow managed to become. 

Tessa blinked, her tongue darted out to wet her lips, slender fingers reaching for her glass of ice water. Jordan’s concerned eyes continued to watch her, monitoring her face as the news settled in her brain. 

She gulped greedily at her water, the ice cubes tinkling against the glass, her hand trembling. She swallowed and placed the glass on the table, though it took another few seconds before she found the strength to remove her hand. 

“I’m sorry, Tess. I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t. When we sent out the RSVPs, you guys were still together, and after he… I mean, after it ended, I didn’t even think to uninvite him. I mean, wasn’t he in Australia or something for a while? I didn’t-”

“New Zealand,” Tessa corrected her, her voice low, whispered. “He was in New Zealand for work.”

She couldn’t meet her sister’s eyes, focused instead on the red-and-white checkered cloth that decorated the table between them. The waiter made his rounds, asked if they were ready to place their orders, and she watched from the corner of her eye as Jordan dismissed him with a kind wave. 

“Tess, I’m so sorry,” Jordan spoke again, quieter. “I know he’s Charlie’s cousin, but he never let on that he had any intention of coming to the wedding until we heard from him yesterday. He just sent Charlie a text, told him how excited he was to see everyone.” Jordan quieted, fidgeted with her hands in her lap. Tessa watched as she pressed her lips together, shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I’ll call Charlie and tell him that he can’t come. I should have done it before, but I-”

“No,” Tessa shook her head, raising her eyes to meet her sister’s. “No, Jordan. Don’t do that. It’s fine. I’m fine.” 

Jordan regarded her for a brief moment, shook her head. 

“You’re not fine, Tess.” Her voice broke, green eyes suddenly wet with unshed tears. “Look at you. You’re already withdrawing into yourself.”

Tessa opened her mouth to protest, to assure her older sister that she was reading too deeply into the situation, that body language wasn’t her forte, to make a joke that she should stick to ice dancing and stop trying to psychoanalyze her, but as her eyes lowered into her lap and found her folded hands, she realized that she was right. 

The sound of his name, the simple sight of a man with light brown hair and a sharp jawline did this to her. She’d spent so many lonely nights thinking of him, curling into a ball in the pristine white of her sheets, her fingers clutching desperately at the pillows as she’d sobbed at the memory of him. They’d spent two years together, each moment seemingly more magical than the last. She’d planned to marry him, had thought of which features their future children might inherit from either of them. 

She’d spent just over two years adoring him, looking at him like he’d hung the moon, and to her, in those days, he had. 

And then, as suddenly as he’d swept her into a whirlwind romance, it had ended. 

Not all at once, at least not for him. There had been signs, but she’d been too naïve or too in love to see them. The late nights, the missed phone calls. She’d surprised him one evening, the last one, a bottle of wine and a too-tight red dress that slid up her thighs in a way that had made her feel surprisingly sexy. 

He’d given her a key to his place, which had been stupid on his behalf, considering the fact that she used it the night she’d discovered him in bed with another woman.   
She was ashamed to admit that it had taken her a moment to recognize the situation for what it was, and she had spent too many long seconds watching as the blonde woman moved atop him, her shapely hips circling his in a way that reminded Tessa of the way they’d made love so many times before. 

He’d seen her at the last second, had shot up in bed, pushing the woman aside and covering himself with a sheet as if she’d never seen him nude before. He cried her name, begged her not to go, but she was already out the front door before he even made it out of the bedroom. 

That night, she’d flushed the ring he’d given her down the toilet. 

“I’m fine,” Tessa said now, forcing her hands out of her lap and spreading her fingers flat on the tablecloth. “It’s… you didn’t know. I’ll be fine.” 

“It’s not right,” Jordan shook her head, her iPhone on the table beside them, already opened to the list of favorite contacts, the tiny circle containing Charlie’s picture grinning up at them as she prepared to make the call. “It’s not fair to you. I’m going-”

“Jordan,” Tessa said her name evenly, a hand shooting out to rest on Jordan’s bony wrist. “I said I’m fine. He’s part of Charlie’s family, he should be there.” Tessa let out a quiet breath, forced a smile onto her lips. “Maybe seeing him again will help.” 

It wouldn’t, of course. Seeing him would trigger the memories of their love-making, would only bring back the thoughts of the way he’d grinned crookedly at her, traced his fingers tenderly over her jawline as he’d stared into her eyes. 

Seeing him would make her remember every moment with painful clarity, every feeling she’d experienced from the first time she’d seen his rugged jawline to the last time she’d seen the curve of his abs as he’d hurried out of bed to stop her from leaving. 

“Besides,” Tessa added after a moment, her chest suddenly feeling heavy and breathless. “Maybe he’ll get a little jealous when he sees me with my hot date.” 

Jordan blinked, the corner of her lips turning up into a slow smirk. 

“Wait, what? You have a hot date for my wedding?” She asked curiously, leaning forward. 

Tessa returned the smile despite the fact that her chest felt as empty as a hollow drum, her heart as heavy as a lead balloon. 

“Not yet,” she shook her head, watching as Jordan’s eyebrows raised in confusion. “But you can bet your ass I will before I see Brad again.”


	2. Tessa Is Not Bringing A Hooker to Jordan's Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just fun. I'm really enjoying myself. Hope you are too!

Compared to the high-profile life of her older sister, Tessa’s existence was rather boring. She worked as a proposal specialist for a law firm in downtown Toronto, and while her day was full of meetings in such exotic locations as Mississauga and Brampton, she could only dream about some of the places Jordan had been. 

Of course she’d followed her when she’d been able to, though that had been less plausible as she’d grown older and required her own income for travel. She’d completed university in Calgary, watching the programs she hadn’t been able to physically attend, on her laptop. She’d find a small corner in the school library, her earphones jammed into her ears as she’d huddled over the piles of textbooks and papers, captivated solely by her sister’s fluid movements. 

Traveling to Japan, Korea, France, those trips had been the biggest thrills of her life. She’d savored each moment, knowing that the experiences would likely never have occurred if it hadn’t been for her older sister’s immense talent. She’d dipped her toes into the clearest waters of the Mediterranean, slept beneath a million stars hidden by the light pollution of Paris. 

Jordan’s next venture wouldn’t take her to any of those places, however. Jordan had decided, of all the places accessible to her through her life of travel, that there was nowhere she’d rather be married than here in Canada. The two of them had often tittered beneath the well-worn quilts made by their grandmother when they’d been children, dreaming up fanciful plans for their future weddings, or rather, wedding. They’d simultaneously scoffed and fantasized about the idea of a double wedding, both of them dressed in gorgeous flowing white gowns, their handsome husbands-to-be in matching tuxedos. 

They’d walk down the aisle one after the other, Jordan insisting she’d have to go first since she was the older sister and, therefore, had to be the first one to marry. Tessa would put up a half-hearted fight, but she didn’t mind; she’d follow her sister anywhere, and she’d proven that again and again over the past two decades.  
In those now laughable memories, Jordan had always wanted the grandest things: towering ice sculptures, to enter the church riding sidesaddle on a horse. Now that they’d grown up, those things had changed. She’d matured, much to the relief of everyone, and she was now happy to be getting married in a moderate-sized chapel on the banks of Lake Huron where they’d spent so much of their childhood. 

Tessa had told her she was crazy; who wanted to get married near a body of water in winter in Canada? Tessa would opt for a beachfront, barefoot ceremony with the sun burning down on her shoulders, thank you very much. But Jordan didn’t care. She’d tilted her head, an easy smile slipping across her lips. 

“Come on, Tess. A wedding just before Christmas? Think about how romantic that would be. I could rent out some cottages right on the waterfront for the wedding party. You and Brad could get cozy inside while the snow falls outside.” Her eyes had sparkled with mischief, but Tessa had been won over, just as she always had been. A winter wedding it would be, with no further questions. The plans had been made, she and Brad had broken up, and now Tessa would be spending the bitter cold of the Canadian winter solo, wrapped in a duvet, her hand buried in a bag of Lindt chocolates.

Tessa sat perched on her couch now, her feet curled beneath her, dressed in a pair of loose-fitting sweats and Adidas socks. She brought her fingers to her lips, began to nibble anxiously at the nails on her left hand. With her right, she manipulated the touchpad on her laptop, watching as the small white arrow hovered over the Safari search bar. 

She hesitated for a moment, considering. She began her search for dating websites, her eyes scrolling past the options. eHarmony, Match, even one called EliteSingles, which promised that it was Canada’s best dating site for educated singles. Other websites guaranteed that she’d meet someone within 30 days, or she’d get her money back. With all the expenses she’d put out between the wedding and bridal shower, it was tempting, but she realized with dismay that she didn’t have thirty days. Jordan’s wedding was in fifteen days and counting and if she didn’t show up on the arm of a man with a jawline sharp enough to cut glass, she’d have to spend the days leading up to the ceremony avoiding Brad on her own. 

She couldn’t stomach the thought of him seeing her this way; alone, but worse, lonely. She hadn’t been on a single date since they’d broken up, didn’t know if she’d be able to sit across from someone at a romantic dinner without seeing his face. She didn’t allow herself to consider whether or not he’d had the same trouble. 

The way he’d grinned at the blonde woman she’d found astride him in his bed told her that he probably didn’t share similar views. 

It was sheer desperation that led her to the website, a discrete-looking page that offered male escorts for hire. It was morally repugnant, the idea of hiring a man to accompany her to Jordan’s wedding, but it wasn’t as if he were a prostitute. She wasn’t hiring him to provide her with anything other than social company, perhaps a little light flirting if she ended up catching Brad’s eye. 

She navigated through the site, narrowing her search by province and then city. Basic membership was free (how kind) but profile photos and anything beyond basic information required the use of a credit card. She could take her chances, could try to pick based solely on first name and generic description: _Andrew, 31, dark brown hair; Max, 30, curly blond hair_. Each profile included a brief description, presumably written by the man of the hour himself. She rolled her eyes at the brief descriptions, hating herself even as she fetched her credit card from her wallet and typed in the numbers. 

Once she’d been granted access to the full site and was able to match names with photos, the anxiety that had formed in her chest began to dissipate. Most, if not all of them, looked like regular men, if not slightly too good-looking. She refined her search once more, pleasantly surprised at how specific she could be in her requests. Religion, hobbies, she could even specify her preference of the man’s favorite pet (and anyone who chose a bird over a dog was automatically disqualified). 

When the results were presented to her, however, a frown tugged at the corners of her lips. Her search had yielded eleven results. Eleven. In a city with a population of nearly three million people. Of course, it hadn’t occurred to her that out of those three million, less than fifty percent of them were male and even fewer of them made their living as professional escorts. She considered searching again, but decided that it was likely a wise choice to be particular when selecting from this particular pool of applicants. 

She decided she would start her search by eliminating the men that didn’t fit the physical description of what she was looking for. She was immediately able to disqualify any man that stood over six foot two. At a humble five foot five inches herself, she wasn’t looking to draw any undue attention to herself and the mysterious stranger. 

That particular requirement removed three more men from the list. There were eight suitable choices, and the fear that she might not find what she was looking for even when scraping the bottom of the barrel terrified her. She’d have to attend Jordan’s wedding alone, would have to try to keep her eyes lowered when Brad entered the room, undoubtedly with the blonde woman on his arm. 

She’d already started to consider navigating away from the site and researching how to bequeath her paltry possessions to the herd of cats she’d inevitably end up devoting the rest of her life to when she saw his photo. 

_Scott, 32._

Her eyebrows raised in consideration, eyes scanning the brief list of traits before she clicked on his photograph. Five foot ten. Brown hair, brown eyes. A jaw sharp enough to cut glass, but with a smooth, unlined face. He looked younger than 32, she thought, and wondered for a moment if men lied about their ages like women. But surely there would have to be some kind of verification to work as an escort (God, she hated the implication of that word; wasn’t there any other term that accurately described his profession? Professional companion, perhaps?) at least a birth certificate or social security card. But did that really matter, adding a year or two to your age? Tessa had skimmed a few years off her own age since turning thirty earlier this year, but that was her little secret. 

Upon further investigation of Scott’s profile, she discovered that he enjoyed hockey (both men’s and women’s, score for gender equality!) especially the Maple Leafs, and that he owned a skate shop with his family. Her eyes caught on that word: family. Surely he meant aunts, uncles, cousins, and not wife and children. Tessa realized that her nails had been chewed to the quick and immediately pulled her hand away from her mouth, tucking it securely beneath her leg. 

Another fun fact awaited her at the bottom of the page: Scott could be hired for the week for six-thousand dollars. The price nearly took her breath away, her heart seizing in her chest at the exorbitant amount. Six thousand dollars for a week was nearly one thousand per day, and according to the site’s terms and conditions, that didn’t include travel costs. She’d planned to drive the four hours herself, but if she had to pay for his transportation, she might as well allow him to tag along. It would give them enough time, she justified, to get a story together regarding how they met. 

Navigating away from the site only enough to check the balance of her bank account, she exhaled a heavy breath. Was she seriously doing this? Was she this desperate? So fraught at the idea of seeing her ex-boyfriend that she was willing to spend a majority of her savings account on a rent-a-boyfriend? 

She studied the photograph of Scott for nearly ten minutes, scrutinizing each aspect of his face. His face was kind but his nose was a little too large, too pointed. But wouldn’t that make this more believable, if she showed up with a man who hadn’t been plucked from the pages of a Calvin Klein ad? Not that Scott wasn’t attractive, of course. She imagined the timbre of his voice, the way his strong hands might caress her back as they moved across the dance floor. She could imagine herself with him, her arm tucked into his as he guided her elegantly into the rehearsal dinner, as he swayed with her on the dance floor at the reception. 

There was another link, one that lead to a series of full-length photographs, one in which a black t-shirt stretched across his taut biceps, another in which no shirt revealed a six-pack of abdominal muscles. _Oh, that was unexpected_. She found herself unable to tear her eyes away from the thin line of hair that trailed from beneath his bellybutton into the waistband of his shorts, felt her face flushing at the thought of where that trail led. 

“This is pathetic,” she shook her head, rolled her eyes to herself as she scrolled back to the top of the page. “This is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done.” 

Still, she hesitated, her hand hovering over the contact button. It would have been funny, if she hadn’t been so exasperated and exhausted at the idea of having to feign a relationship with a handsome stranger for the sake of her sanity and self-preservation. 

“This is beyond reckless,” Tessa said aloud to herself as she completed the contact form, requesting Scott’s companionship through an electronic submission that she hoped would be quick and painless lest she die from embarrassment, “it’s desperation.”

She didn’t have to wait long for Scott’s response; by the time she returned home from her office the following day, she had an email from him. The sight of his name in her inbox, so unsuspecting, sent a rush of heat from her chest to her face, her thumb hovering over the message’s preview. All she could see of the message was her name, his greeting formal and concise. It took another heartbeat for her to select the message, watching as it loaded on her phone’s screen. 

_Tessa_, the message read, _thank you for your interest. I’m available the week of your request, I’d be happy to accompany you to your sister’s wedding. I’d like to make sure you understand that payment is due up front, any additional charges accrued during the time of service will be due before service is complete. I look forward to meeting you. Scott._

She was surprised, somehow, at the formality of the message. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but she supposed this seemed about right for the hefty price of six thousand dollars. She hit the reply button and then paused, watching as the blinker flashed on her screen. She began to type, then erased her words and navigated back to the message, paying special attention to the phrase any additional charges accrued during the time of service, her eyebrows furrowing in thought. What other charges could they-

_Oh, shit_. The realization hit her suddenly and she flushed again, exhaling through barely parted lips. But he wasn’t a prostitute… was he? Did he expect something more than a social contract? And, if that sort of interaction did take place, what was his going rate? 

_Wait, what? No!_ She gasped at the twisted path her mind had taken, scrolled away from his email and placed her phone on the couch beside her. Maybe it was best not to respond at this very moment. She’d spend the night thinking about what she wanted to say and the most professional way to convey her interest without ever insinuating that there would be anything more than some light flirting.

Tessa stood, reaching behind her to release the bun her dark hair was tied into. She shook her head, allowed the brunette locks to fall in soft waves over her shoulders. She was just about to make her way to the washroom, turn the water as hot as she could get it and stand beneath the stream when her phone buzzed on the couch. Absurdly, she thought it might be Scott, and reached for it quickly. 

Jordan’s smiling face greeted from the caller identification screen and Tessa allowed herself a breath before swiping to answer the call. 

“Hey,” she smiled against the phone, “What’s up?” 

“What’s up is that I want to see my baby sister. Meet me at Bar Chef at nine.” Her voice was light and airy; Tessa could hear the smile on her face. 

“Oh,” Tessa sighed, “I don’t know, Jord. It’s been a long day…” 

“You’re damn right it’s been a long day,” Jordan cut her off, “I just spent three hours on the phone with the caterer. There was some kind of mix-up and apparently the entire menu got switched with another party.” Tessa could hear the softness in her sister’s voice despite the edge. “It wasn’t their fault, I guess our names are similar and the person who took the orders made an honest mistake, but that menu was vegan, Tess, and I just-”

“Okay,” Tessa was already shaking her head, replacing her immediate plans of a hot shower with the thought of slipping back into her heels. “It’s fine. I’ll be there by nine.”  
Jordan let out a delighted squeal, Tessa smiling despite herself. 

“Are you sure? I’m sorry. I know catering is such a first-world problem. I’m just so stressed with this whole damn thing and the one thing that always makes me feel better is seeing you. I was thinking today how this might be one of the last times we get to hang out before the wedding, and I’m just…” Jordan swallowed, Tessa hearing the emotion catch in her throat. “I just missed you. But if you don’t feel like going out, maybe I can come over? I’ll bring a bottle of wine and we can just binge-watch _Friends_ or something?” 

It sounded incredible, Tessa thought; she and Jordan curled on the couch or in her bed, wearing sweatpants and no makeup as they giggled like the children they had been not so long ago. But Jesus, here she was, thirty-years-old, single, and already deciding to stay in on Friday nights. Slowly, each set of heels in her closet would be replaced with house slippers, each tailored suit with a matching bathrobe. 

“No,” Tessa smiled once more, blinking at her determination. “It’ll be good to go out. It’s been a crazy week, getting out of the house is what I need.”

She heard the smile reappear in her sister’s voice, imagined the radiant glow of her tanned skin. 

“Great! I’ll see you at nine.”

Tessa disconnected the call and sunk back onto the couch. It was only six-thirty, there was still plenty of time for a hot shower and at least ninety minutes of loafing before she needed to slip back into the high-heels that had pinched her toes all day.

Exhausted from the day and already weary at the idea of spending the evening so far away from the pristine white of her sheets, she fell into a restless sleep on the couch.  
When she woke, it was already eight-thirty. That was barely enough time to touch up her makeup and pull her hair into a low ponytail and still make it to Bar Chef in time, forget the hot shower she’d literally dreamed of as she’d slept. 

She scurried out of the living room and into the bedroom, pulling on a simple black V-neck sweater and dark denim jeans. She settled in front of the washroom mirror, tracing each eye with dark liner and mascara, swiping lipstick over her lips and stepping into a cloud of perfume.

By the time she made it to the bar, it was nine-ten and she spotted Jordan, settled into a cozy booth in a dim corner, a cocktail glass on the table before her. Just as Tessa pushed through the crowd to the intimate booth, Jordan lifted the cherry from her drink by the stem and slid it between her red lips. She grinned, tugging the stem from the mouth as Tessa slid into the booth. 

“Hey, you made it,” she chewed the fruit, placed the stem on the table beside her. “You look so pretty, Tess.” 

“Oh, no,” Tessa shook her head, laughing softly, averting her gaze from her sister as she eyed the drink menu, “I accidentally fell asleep. I honestly don’t even remember if I brushed my hair before I left.”

“Well you look hot anyway,” Jordan shrugged as a waiter appeared beside them, “What are you drinking?” 

“Uh,” Tessa studied the drink selection, “What’s that you’re having? A Manhattan?” 

“Mmhm,” Jordan mused, watching her sister from beneath curious brows.

“I’ll have the same, thank you,” Tessa smiled, watching as the waiter departed through the crowd before turning her attention to her sister. Jordan sat watching her wordlessly, her lips pressed together in a tight smirk. “What?” 

“I was thinking about what you said,” Jordan leaned forward, her slender elbows resting on the table, “about your hot date.” 

“Oh?” Tessa stammered, feeling her face flush pink under her sister’s gaze. “What about it?” 

“Well,” Jordan dipped her head, raising her eyebrows. “Tell me who he is!”

“Oh, uh,” her tongue darted out to wet her lips, “Well, I don’t-”

“Did you meet him at work?” She asked excitedly, straightening her shoulders, “Through a friend? What does he do? Is he cute? Spill, sister.”

Tessa forced a smile to her face, focused on what would surely be the easiest of those questions to answer and began there. 

“Well, I think he’s cute. He’s got dark hair and dark eyes. He has a great body, and…”

“Wait, what? You’ve already seen his body?” Jordan’s eyes glimmered impishly.

“I mean, not… not physically seen it,” Tessa stuttered, “I mean I’ve seen pictures, but he’s got great abs and-”

“Pictures?” Jordan’s eyebrows lowered a little, arched. “He showed you pictures of his body?” 

“No!” Tessa cried, “I mean, no, not really. I’ve seen pictures, but he didn’t show them to me.” 

Jordan considered her for a moment, took a sip of her drink, never taking her eyes from Tessa’s face. 

“How did you meet him, Tess?” 

There were moments in everyone’s life when a lie could begin, when it could grow from the tiny seed that was planted in someone’s brain into a towering thing that would block out the truth eternally, would keep everyone in the dark. She could have lied, she knew. She could have told her sister that they’d met through a mutual friend, that it had been the experience of a meet-cute on the streets of Toronto in which they’d bumped into each other and spent the rest of the afternoon in a café talking. 

But Jordan was her sister. Jordan was her best friend. Jordan was the one person who, through everything, she knew she could trust. There had never been a moment between them in which she’d felt judged or ashamed of the choices she’d made. If anyone needed to know the truth, it was Jordan. 

“I found him online,” Tessa sighed finally, her voice soft enough in the noisy hum of the bar that Jordan had to strain to hear her. 

“Oh,” Jordan nodded, unaffected as she always was, “like a dating website?” 

“Uh,” Tessa took a sip of the drink the waiter had placed before her, making a face at the bitter taste of alcohol, “no, not exactly.” 

Jordan’s dark eyes watched her, a smirk playing on the corners of her lips. 

“Then where, exactly?” 

There was no way to deny it, Tessa realized. Nothing she could say or do that, at this point, would logically explain her skittishness regarding him. 

“I hired him, okay?” Tessa let the words spill from her mouth like literary vomit, “I found a website for male escorts, and I contacted him, and he’s agreed, so all I have to do is meet up with him and use the week to make sure that Brad sees how happy I am and how he definitely did not ruin my life and I’m not…” she raised her eyes, fully expecting Jordan to cut her off, but the elder Virtue watched her with a curious, if not critical, look. “And you’re not saying anything.” 

Jordan blinked, breaking the hypnotic gaze with which she’d been watching her. 

“I’m sorry, I’m just…” Jordan tilted her head, “you’re bringing a hooker to my wedding?” 

“No!” Tessa cried the word loudly, causing those in booths close to theirs to turn their attention toward her. She huddled into herself, lowering her voice. “He’s not a hooker, Jord. He’s an escort. There’s a difference.” 

“I’m failing to see the difference,” Jordan mused. 

“A hooker is a…” Tessa paused, considered her words, “I mean a hooker is someone you pay for sex, right? An escort is someone you hire to accompany you to events. Sort of like a bodyguard, except instead of just standing and keeping an eye on me, he’ll be interactive and involved and, you know, won’t make me look like the premature cat lady I am.” 

Jordan squinted at her. 

“You don’t have any cats.” 

“Not yet,” Tessa insisted, “but at this rate I will. I’m already thirty, Jordan, and I’m always so damn busy. I don’t have time to meet a guy and charm him enough into coming to a destination wedding with me within two weeks.” Tessa pressed her lips together, watched her sister in silence. “Look, I know it’s different, okay? It’s more than different, it’s weird, but it’s all I’ve got right now and I can’t…” Tessa heard the emotion break in her voice, saw the flicker of empathy in Jordan’s eyes. “I can’t show up to your wedding alone. I can’t let Brad see me like this. You know what happened between us destroyed me. If he thinks I’m still sad and lonely, he’s going to pity me, and Jesus, his pity is the last thing I want or need.” 

She felt her heart beginning to race, felt the heat in her face and the tears prickling the back of her eyes. Fuck, she hated crying about him. It had been three months since she’d seen him and he still held such a devastating power over her. 

“I’m sorry if this makes you uncomfortable. It’s your wedding, and I should have cleared it with you before I went ahead with it, but I-”

“Tess,” Jordan’s hand crept across the table, her fingers resting on the back of Tessa’s hand. “It’s okay.” 

Despite the strength she wanted to convey, Tessa dabbed at her eyes, cleared her throat. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah,” Jordan smiled at her, nodded. “You need to feel confident, and if this is what’s going to give you the strength to look that asshole in the eyes and show him how much better off you are without him, then I’m behind you, T. One hundred percent.” 

If they hadn’t been surrounded by people, if it hadn’t felt like half the population of Toronto was nestled into this bar with them, Tessa would have leaned across the table and wrapped her older sister in a hug. Instead, she let her shoulders slump with relief, offered her the biggest smile she could muster, and squeezed her hand over the table. 

“Thank you. Thank you so much, Jord. And, as you might have guessed, I’m not exactly eager for that information to get out to the rest of the wedding party, so could you just… not tell anyone?” 

“Oh, God, of course,” Jordan grinned, “you think I’m going to let my baby sister and her male prostitute overshadow my wedding day?” 

She said the words with a laugh, and Tessa opened her mouth to refute the phrase she’d used, but the movement of a man behind Jordan’s head caught her eye. His hair was dark, longer than it had been in the photographs she’d seen online, but even in the dim light of the bar, she recognized him immediately. _Scott._

“Oh my God,” Tessa gasped, instinctively ducking into the booth and attempting to position herself with Jordan between the two of them. “Oh, God, Jordan, that’s him. Don’t look!” 

“Who?” Jordan asked excitedly, quickly turning in the booth in an obvious attempt to catch sight of the man. Tessa rewarded her with a swift kick to the shin. Jordan howled and immediately pulled her leg up beneath her. “What the hell, Tess?” 

“I told you not to look!” Tessa hissed, “And the first thing you do is turn around and try to spot him like he’s an animal on an African safari!” 

“Okay, okay,” Jordan whispered, “I won’t look. I won’t make it obviously, anyway. Which one is he?” 

Tessa studied the scene behind her sister’s line of vision, watching as the man smiled and slid onto a bar stool. The bartender reacted to him quickly, sliding a glass in his direction. She observed him as his strong fingers wrapped around the glass, tilting his head for the initial drink. 

“He’s at the bar,” Tessa spoke quietly, “dark hair. He’s wearing a black shirt. Long sleeves.” 

Jordan nodded, took a moment before pretending to stretch, turning her torso first to the left and then the right, taking an extra moment to study the profile of the man Tessa had pointed out. When she turned back around in her seat, she was grinning. 

“Wow, sis. Good financial decision. He’s cute.” 

Tessa scowled at her before leaning over to peer at him further, studying the way his broad shoulders filled out the dark shirt, the way his eyes appeared to crinkle when he laughed. 

Jordan watched her, amused. 

“Are you going to go talk to him?” 

“What?” Tessa hissed, “No, of course not. What am I supposed to say? Hey there, I’m the freak that hired you for a week?” 

“Well, no,” Jordan countered, “but you could at least go check him out. Make a little conversation, make sure you’re making the right decision by paying this guy… how much are you paying him, by the way?” 

“Six thousand dollars,” Tessa whispered shamefully. 

“Holy shit!” Jordan exclaimed. “Six thousand... you better get your ass over there and talk to him. That’s a down payment on a car.” 

Tessa studied her face, felt the corners of her lips turning into a frown. She was right, of course. This opportunity had fallen into her lap. It wasn’t like she’d gone looking for him, and if she was presented with the chance to at least speak to him before she hired him to spend a week with her, was that such a bad thing? But then… 

“I can’t, Jord. It’ll scare him off. He already knows my name. If I sidle on up to him and introduce myself, he’s going to put the pieces together right away.”

Jordan smiled at her. 

“That’s what middle names are for, Tessa Jane.” 

By the time she’d managed to muster up the courage to slip out of the booth and approach him, Scott had finished his drink and started in on another. Tessa slid through the crowd of people, pressing herself close to the bar and squeezing herself onto the stool beside him. She cleared her throat, once, then twice. She mumbled a soft “excuse me”, which promptly went unnoticed. She glanced toward Jordan, who was turned completely in her seat, raising her eyebrows urgently and mouthing something to her she couldn’t quite make out. 

Tessa turned back to the bar, ordered a gin and tonic and waited impatiently as she watched the bartender prepare her drink. She hesitated, watched as Scott prepared to slide from his stool, and then began to panic. Thoughtlessly, she threw herself forward and knocked against him, righting herself quickly before he turned to look at her. 

She offered him an apologetic smile, used two fingers to brush a nonexistent hair behind her ear. 

“I’m so sorry!” She feigned a gasp, “I didn’t even see you there.” 

He turned fully to study her, and _Jesus, was he gorgeous_. His brown eyes were alive and mischievous, his lips curling into an interested smile as he watched her. 

“Hey,” he spoke, and his voice was just as she had imagined it would be. Clear, fluid, not too deep. He was clean shaven, but there was a trace of stubble just above his upper lip, smile lines digging into his cheeks. “You okay?”

“Uh, yeah,” Tessa smiled, settling back onto her bar stool as Scott reclaimed his own. “I’m Jane. Nice to meet you.” 

He blinked, grinned again, and she suddenly found herself wanting to kiss the smirk from his face. 

“Scott. Nice to meet you, too, Jane. What brings you out tonight?” 

“Oh, you know,” Tessa mumbled, taking her drink into her hand, “just coming out to the bar. It’s Friday night.” 

He studied her, raised his eyebrows a little. 

“Yeah? Do you spend all your Friday nights at bars?” 

_Shit._

“No,” she corrected herself quickly, “I hardly ever go out, actually. I spend most of my time at home. This whole thing really isn’t my scene. I hate bars.” 

_Shit, again._

“I mean, I don’t hate bars,” she tripped over her words, causing Scott to grin once more. “I just don’t go out to them that often. It’s not like I have anything against the people who go to bars on Friday night. I mean, obviously, I’m here, so…” she was rambling, recognized it too late, and pressed her lips together. “It’s more of a celebratory thing.” 

“Oh yeah?” He tilted his head, his interest piqued. “What are we celebrating?” 

“My sister’s getting married,” Tessa nodded. His eyebrows went up, a gentle smile pressing across his lips. 

“Oh, wow. That’s awesome. Marriage is such a special commitment. Is she here with you? I should congratulate her.” 

“Yeah, she’s right-” Tessa moved to motion to Jordan and then suddenly realized her mistake. Jordan was recognizable. He’d know her face immediately; she’d been recognized as one of the greatest athletes in the world several times, had been featured on magazine covers, cereal boxes, clothing advertisements. Seeing Jordan could inevitably lead to Scott putting the pieces together. When she met Jordan’s eyes, Scott’s head turned in the same direction. Immediately, her sister’s dark head disappeared behind the protection of the booth, effectively disappearing. Tessa sighed in relief. “She must have gone to the washroom.”

“Well, I’ll have to tell her later,” Scott turned his attention back to her, allowing his eyes to study her face before following the trail of her necklace, resting only briefly on the deep V of her sweater. “And what about you, Miss Jane? Are you married?” 

Tessa felt herself redden, emitted a quick giggle before playfully offering him her left hand, waggling her ring finger at him. 

“Not married,” she smiled, “You?” 

“Happily single,” he cooed, her eyes darting to his left hand just long enough to confirm the lack of a wedding band, “but not opposed to looking.” 

Tessa straightened her spine, fluttered her eyelashes at him. 

_Hook._

She leaned closer to him, catching his gaze as she crossed her legs. 

_Line._

Tessa lowered her head, grinning seductively at him. Scott let out a soft breath before speaking. 

“You’re beautiful, Jane.” 

_Sinker._

“Thank you,” she replied, suddenly unsure how she’d managed to go from the awkward single woman into the sex kitten that he appeared to see before him. “You’re not so bad yourself.” 

Would she have had this confidence, she wondered, if she hadn’t known who he was? If she hadn’t known that this encounter would guarantee a more successful and believable ruse to the rest of her family and friends, would she have even tried? She’d never been this daring with men, was a self-proclaimed terrible flirt. Somehow, knowing she was in control of the situation gave her the confidence boost she needed. 

“Jane,” he said her name with a sincerity that she hadn’t expected, his dark eyes kind. “What do you do?” 

“I work at a law firm,” she said the words as seductively as she could, but there was nothing sexy about proposing deals with middle-aged men in business suits who were reluctant to give her the time of day. “You?” 

He hesitated for a moment, a smile in his eyes. She wondered if he would be honest. Was that something you went around telling people: _I’m an escort? Women hire me to pretend to adore them?_

“I do a few different things,” he finally returned, that smile crinkling his eyes once more. “But my passion is skating.” 

Well, that checked out. He’d mentioned hockey in the brief profile from the website, so at least he’d been honest about one thing. 

“Go Leafs,” she purred, his eyes widening slightly at the eroticism of the situation. 

“Yeah,” he murmured a moment after, “Go Leafs.” 

She grinned, straightened her shoulders, pushed out her chest. She was confident, yes, felt as if she could keep this going all night, but from the way Scott had already begun to shift on his barstool, she knew the inevitable question was coming. He would invite her to his place, and of course she wouldn’t go. She needed to make a smooth escape, but as she began to form the words in her mind, Scott groaned. 

“Jane, I’m sorry,” he turned to the group of men he’d entered the bar with, looked back at her with a face full of concern. “It seems like we’re heading out. Some friends are visiting from out of town, and I volunteered to be the designated driver. Could I have your number?”

For a moment, she almost told him. The digits would have been so easy to say, so easy to draw him further into the web she’d already begun to spin for him. Instead, she glanced at the glasses on the bar in front of him, arching her eyebrow as she turned back to him. 

“Designated driver?” 

He smiled sheepishly, lifted the drink and tilted the glass toward her, the dark liquid sloshing. 

“It’s just Coke.” 

Somehow, his bashfulness made her like him more. She smiled then, a real smile that hadn’t been planned, and the way his eyes lit up made her cheeks burn. 

“You know, Scott,” she drawled, spinning on her bar stool and slipping off to stand beside him. “I’m a big believer in fate. And I believe that if we’re meant to see each other again, we will.” 

Pure bullshit, all of it. Of course they’d see each other again, just as soon as it was time to leave for the wedding. But it sounded sexy and mysterious, and it was all she could do not to smile at the disappointment on his face. If only he knew. 

“But what if we don’t-” he began. Boldly, Tessa placed her index finger on his lips. 

“We will,” she spoke the words. The men Scott had been with began to tug on his shoulders, calling out gleefully as they shuffled him away from her and through the crowd. Tessa waited for only a moment before pushing back through the throngs of people and slipping back into the booth across from Jordan. 

“Well?” Jordan asked for a moment, an expectant grin on her face. “Is he worth it?” 

Tessa smiled up at her, felt the flush rising once more in her chest. 

“Every penny.”


	3. Tessa Knows All of Hall and Oates' Greatest Hits (Doesn't Everyone?)

Tessa planned to arrive at Scott’s home around seven-thirty in the morning, make the four-hour drive without stops and arrive at the cluster of cottages no later than noon. She had planned the route with and without the use of GPS, because that’s the type of person she was and had always been. If something could go wrong in a situation, it likely would, and she needed to be prepared one way or another. The most awkward situation she could imagine was losing connection to a satellite on a back road in Canada with the man she’d hired to fill the role of her imaginary boyfriend. 

She packed one suitcase, then two. Managed to fit all of her toiletries into a small matching duffel bag and hung the Maid of Honor dress from a hook in the back of her SUV. It didn’t seem like enough, but she’d packed everything from paper-thin camis to sweaters thick enough to keep out the Canadian chill, and she knew as she stood surveying her luggage that she was merely procrastinating. She had to leave now or she’d be late picking up Scott and her entire schedule would be thrown off. 

She pulled into traffic, her fingers gripping the steering wheel so tightly that the tips of her digits were white. She’d be remiss to say that she didn’t already know the path to his home by heart, that she hadn’t driven by it three times since he’d sent his address to her via email two days ago. She had, in fact, attempted to use the information provided to her through their communications to do a precursory Facebook hunt, twitter query, and Google search within minutes of obtaining it. Since he hadn’t provided his last name, it had been damn near impossible to find one particular Scott in the whole of Toronto, and she was ashamed to admit that in her search, she’d followed up his first name with some of the terms Jordan had used when she’d revealed his identity to her. 

“Okay,” Jordan had said a few days after the news had settled, “I get it. You were desperate, so you hired this guy. You spoke to him at the bar, checked him out, but…” she’d tilted her head at her younger sister as they’d huddled at her dining room table going over the seating chart for the reception for what seemed like the hundredth time, “how do you know this guy isn’t like a serial killer who lures his victims using the whole escort lie?” 

Tessa had blinked at her, eyes narrowing in uncertainty. 

“You’re saying he’s a serial killer who lures women in by asking them to pay six thousand dollars to meet with him? Is that what you’re suggesting?”

Jordan had made a small noise before casting her eyes downward. 

“I mean, yeah.” Sensing that her theory made little to no sense, she had shrugged, smiling up at her fiancée as he entered the room. “It’s not impossible.” 

“Not impossible,” Tessa had affirmed, popping a chocolate-covered pretzel into her mouth and chewing it thoughtfully, “but highly improbable.” 

“Okay,” Jordan had rolled her eyes playfully, “Improbable as it may be, it’s still a possibility.” 

Charlie had slid into a dining room chair beside Jordan, his hand resting comfortingly on the back of her neck. 

“I just want you to be on guard,” Jordan had pleaded with Tessa before directing her attention to her fiancée, “Will you tell her?” 

Charlie had grinned, then sighed. He turned to look at Tessa, and she smirked back at him. She’d known Charlie for as long as she could remember. He and Jordan had been paired as partners when they’d been only seven and nine, making Tessa four years old. He’d always been an older surrogate brother to her, perhaps closer than the two she already had. 

“Honey, I think Tess has a point,” he’d shrugged, “She’s a smart girl. If she thinks something is up, do you honestly believe she’s going to stay in the car with him?”  
Tessa had smiled pointedly at Jordan, raised her eyebrows. Her sister had asked permission to share the news of Tessa’s unconventional wedding date with her soon-to-be husband, and Tessa had barely needed to hesitate before agreeing. It was his wedding as well, she had rationed, and Charlie had known her when she’d barely been out of diapers. He’d only ever teased her in the kind, protective manner of a big brother who adored her, and when Jordan had explained the situation to him, he’d laughed good-naturedly. 

“Good for her,” he’d grinned, “Brad’s an asshole. He deserves whatever he has coming to him. I hope she makes him miserable all week.” 

It had only cemented Tessa’s fondness of her future brother-in-law, and she’d reached across the table, patting his hand. 

“Thank you, Charlie.” 

“You are welcome, Tessa,” he’d winked at her conspiratorially.

Jordan had sighed dramatically, narrowing her eyes first at her fiancée and then her sister. 

“All I’m saying is, if he tries to get you to pull over in the middle of nowhere, don’t do it,” Jordan had shrugged. Tessa had laughed, and a moment later, Jordan broke into a smile as well. 

“Okay, sis. Noted.” 

And now, as Tessa drove to Scott’s house, it was natural that this was the only thing she could think about. Jordan had convinced her to purchase both a small canister of mace and a self-defense key chain in the shape of a cat’s ears. The irony was not lost on her. 

She felt comfortable with her decision, she’d decided. She’d spoken with Scott long enough at the bar and had spent enough time looking at his profile to feel confident that he was nothing more than a somewhat misguided man who’d discovered the easiest way to make cash was by providing unusual services to desperate women. The conversation she’d had with him at the bar, however brief, had assured her of that fact.

She’d barely had time to think about how Scott might react when he realized that Tessa and _Jane_ were one in the same. Would he lash out with anger? The thought alarmed her for a moment, her hand curling around the self-defense key chain Jordan had insisted she purchase. But from what little she knew about him, he didn’t seem to be the type to become enraged at such a small transgression. Because, really, wasn’t that what it was? An omission, not a lie. Technically, she _was_ Jane… and she hadn’t really been dishonest with him in any way. She couldn’t think of anything she’d said to him that wasn’t some version of the truth, even her name. 

Maybe he’d laugh, she surmised. He had a quick smile and the lines around his lips and eyes made her hope her that he was easy to amuse. It would be one of those moments that he’d tell other clients about; that charming woman he’d met in the bar had turned out to be the one who had hired him for the week. 

And not that she wanted to be sexist about it, but she was a woman. There was nothing wrong with a woman checking out the man she planned to spend the next week with. After all, it was entirely possible that Jordan had been right and he was indeed a serial killer. Albeit, not a very bright one. 

She decided to ignore the nagging feeling in her chest that told her she was being ridiculous, that he had the same right to his privacy as anyone else. Even if he literally sold himself for a living.

But there was no time to dwell on that now, not when she was rounding the corner into a clustered village of town homes where she knew Scott lived. Her breath caught in her throat as she navigated slowly down the street, her eyes scanning the homes desperately as she searched for Scott’s form. She wasn’t sure whether she should expect the refined, handsome professional she’d seen in the photographs from the website or the easy-going, charming man-child from the bar. 

She half-expected Scott to be waiting on the curb for her, his luggage at his feet and an expectant smile on his face. But that was ridiculous, she realized, as she pulled into the driveway of his town home. He did this for a living; meeting strange women and traveling with them was just another day at the proverbial office for him. She was undoubtedly the only nervous one in this equation, foreign to the concept of spending an intimate week in the company of a man she knew only by name.

She hesitated in the car for just a moment, then considered walking up the front door and knocking before telling herself that was a ridiculous notion. She wasn’t picking him up for a date, at least not in the conventional sense, so she decided to alert him of her presence by sending him a concise text message.

_Hey_, she typed, her fingers trembling against the touch screen, _I’m here! :)_

Less than a second later, a tiny word appeared under her message: _Delivered_. It took thirty torturous seconds before the words _Read: 7:28 AM_ replaced the delivery notification.

The three dots that indicated he was typing appeared, then disappeared. When her phone dinged the arrival of his message, it was just as brief as the reply to her email had been. 

_On my way._

Tessa let out an anxious breath, placed her phone in the cup holder beside her, closing her eyes for just a moment to focus on the racing of her heart. There was no reason to be nervous, she justified. She’d hired him for this. It wasn’t as if he were accompanying her out of the goodness of his heart, or even because he expected anything more than the six thousand dollars owed to him. 

Well, six thousand dollars along with any additional charges accrued during the time of service. 

Oh Jesus, she could not do this. She’d nearly convinced herself to give up on this whole idea, drive away without him and spend the week ducking behind chairs, bushes, family members, anything to avoid seeing Brad. She couldn’t stand the anticipation, couldn’t deal with the stress of not knowing what to expect from Scott and the outcome of this situation. 

She’d nearly convinced herself to do just that, forget about the insanity of this entire situation, when his front door opened. He stepped out of the building, dark grey suit, light blue tie, his brown hair swept back in a stylish manner. He squinted into the morning sun, spotted her car, and turned only long enough to pull the front door shut, rolling his suitcase alongside him.

She took a moment to gather herself, took one last calming breath before opening her car door and stepping out. She turned to meet his eyes and there was a smile, a brief flash of recognition, and then his lips formed an uncertain line. 

She wiggled her fingers at him in a casual wave, but he didn’t respond. He didn’t speak, didn’t blink, didn’t so much as look at her until he’d come to stand beside the car as she opened the rear door of the vehicle for his luggage. 

Scott stood, looking at her for a moment, his brown eyes suddenly cold and dark. 

“Your name isn’t Jane,” he said simply, fingers curling around the handle of his suitcase. 

Tessa swallowed, forced a smile, fluttered her eyelashes in an attempt to recapture the essence of the woman she’d been that night in the bar. 

“Well, technically it is,” she tilted her head, “It’s my middle name.” 

He squinted at her for a moment, his jaw clenching, eyebrow arching. 

“Were you stalking me?” 

Tessa blanched, then felt the heat rise in her cheeks. 

“What? No! How was I supposed to know you were going to be in that bar? I didn’t know anything about you. It was a total coincidence. I saw you, and I just recognized you from the website, and I just-” She felt herself beginning to ramble and then pressed her lips together. She didn’t owe him an explanation. She’d hired him to do a job, that was all. If he wanted to believe otherwise, that was his issue, not hers. 

Scott stood for a moment with his hands on his hips, watching her. She studied the curve of his jaw, the slope of his nose. She focused on his lips for a moment too long, tearing her eyes away from him when he appeared to notice. 

She reached into her purse, withdrew a white envelope swollen with one hundred dollar bills. Clutching it in her fingertips, she offered it to him, watching as his eyes moved to study the cash. 

“It’s all there,” she nodded, her breath forming frosty clouds before her, “Six thousand dollars. Count it.” 

He eyed her, reached for the envelope before tucking it securely into his coat pocket. In the same swift motion, he lifted his luggage into the rear of the vehicle before pulling the door shut. He stood before her for a brief moment before rounding the car, pulling the passenger side door open and slipping inside. Tessa stood unsurely for a moment, waiting, and then slowly made her way to the driver’s side. She slid into her seat, tugged her seatbelt over her chest, pressed the automatic start button for the car. She eased into traffic, turning on her blinker and gliding to the first stop sign in the complex. 

“So was it also a coincidence that I’ve seen your car on my street at least three times over the past two days?” He wondered, his voice biting with sarcasm. 

The question caught her off guard and she stepped too hard on the gas, the car jerking both of them forward, seatbelts locking. Scott cleared his throat, shifted in his seat, but she could feel his gaze on her. The dress she’d worn, a shade of blue that somehow ridiculously matched his tie, suddenly felt too short, and she used the hand that wasn’t on the steering wheel to tug it down her thighs. 

He averted his gaze, and she allowed herself to take a breath as they navigated through his neighborhood silently. They had gotten less than five minutes from his home when he spoke once more. 

“You know,” he said, his voice dry, “technically, you lied to me.”

His accusation caught her off guard and she couldn’t disguise the gasp, glancing over at him as she pulled up to a red light. 

“Excuse me?” 

His hands rested easily on his lap, thick fingers spread over the fine material of his trousers, his face unlined, easy. 

“You lied to me. You lied about your name.” 

“No I didn’t,” she shot back quickly, “I told you Jane is my middle name. Tessa Jane. I omitted the information, at best. Why would I lie about that?”

“I don’t know, _Jane_,” he posed the question pointedly, “Why did you lie about that?”

“I mean, if we’re going that route, you lied to me, too,” she shrugged, her voice rising an octave in a defensive tone. “I asked you what you did and you didn’t mention anything about being a male escort. If I recall correctly, you said your passion was hockey.” 

“Nothing I’ve said to you has been a lie. My passion is hockey,” he said evenly, “And I didn’t say I wasn’t an escort. I said I did a few different things. Being an escort just happens to be one of them.” She felt his eyes on her once more, felt the smirk playing on his lips without even needing to look at him, “I omitted the information, at best.” 

She glanced at him as the red light turned green, as her foot began to ease off the brake. 

“Are you serious? We haven’t even been in the car for ten minutes and you’re mocking me?”

“Not mocking,” he shrugged, eyebrows raised, “But if you’re going to live in a glass house you shouldn’t throw stones.”

Tessa grimaced, her fingers tightening on the steering wheel. 

“Why do you even care?” She growled, “You got your money. It’s not like this is your first rodeo. You’ve done this what, dozens? Hundreds of times before?” 

Scott smirked at her, the easy smile never leaving his lips. 

“You’d like to know the answer to that, wouldn’t you? Would it make you feel better if I told you I was very selective with my clientele? That out of the many women who contact me, there are very few I actually go through with meeting?” 

Tessa was quiet for a moment as she considered his words. If that was true, then why her? Why had he chosen to respond to her, to agree to this week full of strangers and wedding traditions and unrelenting questions from well-meaning family and friends who wanted to see her settling down now that she was in her thirties? 

“I mean… okay. Then why even answer me at all, if you’re so selective?” 

She glanced toward him only to see the surprised look on his face, the curious grin that had curled the edges of his lips. 

“Oh, Jane…. I mean, Tessa,” he drawled her name, “I just asked if it would make you feel better if I told you that. I never said it’s what I actually did.” 

She felt her face flush with embarrassment, hated him suddenly in that second, thought about pulling off the highway and refusing to move the car until he got out. He was toying with her, she knew. He’d found her weakness; her lack of self-confidence. Jesus, she’d all but laid her insecurities out on a silver platter for him with her stuttering and stammering. Damn her body for reacting so easily, the blush of her skin had always betrayed her. 

“Besides,” Scott continued a moment later, when she failed to respond, “I care because you’re not the only one who has to worry about their safety. I have a mom who would like to see me at Christmas and two big brothers who would bring me back to life and then kill me if they found my body dumped on the side of a road because of some sexy black widow.”

Somehow, his words put her at ease. Knowing that he was a real person, with parents and siblings, someone who had plans beyond this week, someone whose existence didn’t revolve entirely around his escort services, made some of the tension leave her body. 

“I’m the youngest of my family, too,” she admitted, not realizing until after she’d said it that it was the first topic of casual conversation they’d had since she’d seen him this morning. “I have two older brothers, too. And then my sister, Jordan… she’s the one getting married.” 

“Ah, so you were being honest about that part.” She could see him watching her from the corner of her eye. “I was beginning to wonder.”

She felt another flash of anger; was this going to be an ongoing issue? Would he hold this against her the entire week, the fact that she’d merely wanted to check him out before paying six grand to spend a week with him? No one should blame her for that fact, least of all the man who currently had the six grand in his pocket. 

“What did you say your last name was, again?” 

Tessa knew what was happening; she’d mentioned Jordan’s name and he was beginning to put the pieces together. Anyone who saw them together commented on how much she favored her older sister; the two of them had been mistaken for twins regularly as teens, nevermind the fact that Jordan was three years older and just as many inches taller. 

“I didn’t say,” Tessa gripped the wheel, “it’s Virtue. My sister is Jordan Virtue. She and her partner Charlie won gold last year in PyeongChang. And in 2010 in Vancouver. And silver in Sochi in 2014.”

She looked toward him long enough to see the recognition dawn on his face, and wondered for a moment what she could expect from him. If it was anything like everyone else’s reaction, his attention would shift fully to the elder Virtue sister. Tessa would become a supporting character in her own life, though not by choice of Jordan or anyone else. It just happened that way. It was something she’d grown up with, something that she’d grown accustomed to. 

“I see. Okay. Big sister, bride, ice dancer. Got it. What about your brothers?” 

Tessa blinked, glanced over at him. That was it? No fawning over the beautiful Jordan Virtue? No adolescent declarations of crushes since he was old enough to know what girls were? 

‘Uh,” she was caught off guard, then cleared her throat, “okay. I have two brothers, like I said. Kevin and Casey. Oh, and Charlie, Jordan's fiancee. He’s not biological, of course, but he’s been around for as long as I can remember.”

“Parents?” 

“Kate’s my mother,” she rambled on, “She’s the most fabulous woman you’ll ever meet. My father is Jim. We don’t really see eye-to-eye, and he and my mother are divorced, so I don’t see much of him. Our family isn’t huge, but I have one niece, Poppy. She’s six and she’s the flower girl.” 

“I have nieces and nephews, too,” he added quietly after a moment, “I love kids.” 

It was such a soft moment that she nearly commented on it, nearly stated what a surprise it was to hear a male escort speak so freely about his affection for his family.  
But she had to stop thinking like that. This was a man, a real, living, breathing man. He had a heart, a soul. He had people he loved, things he was passionate about. She couldn’t continue to view him as an object, even-

“So what made you desperate enough to spend six thousand dollars on a week with a stranger?” 

_Okay, there was that one small reminder._

Part of Tessa wanted to fight him on that point; she wanted to tell him it wasn’t any of his damn business, and that even if it was, it was downright rude and classless to refer to any client as desperate. But then, hadn’t she considered herself desperate since she’d found out Brad would be at the wedding? She’d had nowhere to go, no members of the opposite sex to rely on in a situation like this, so she’d hired Scott. Despite his teasing earlier, she wanted to believe that he didn’t immediately accept every offer that was delivered directly to his email inbox, that he took some time to consider the details of the client, the destination, before making a decision.

“My sister and her fiancée have been planning their wedding for over a year,” she began softly. “Actively planning it since the commotion of the Olympics died down in February of last year. During that time, I was dating Charlie’s cousin, Brad.” Saying his name aloud was worse than hearing it spoken. She was reminded of all the times she’d moaned that name into his ear as their bodies had pressed together late at night. She thought of all of the times she’d whispered it, giggling, as they’d kissed and drank wine straight from the bottle. She thought of the hundreds, thousands of times she’d said it so casually in conversation, never suspecting that one day it would be the hardest word in the English language for her. 

“But then that ended.” She didn’t want to get into the specifics with Scott. It didn’t matter for what this was, which was a ruse intended to last a week. When they got back to their respective homes, Tessa would never see either of them again and it wouldn’t make a difference in the grand scheme of things. “Last weekend, Jordan told me that…he…”

“Brad?” Scott asked, suddenly invested in the conversation. 

Tessa nodded, grateful for not having to say his name again. 

“She told me that although he’s been in New Zealand for the past three months, he’s finishing up his work project just in time to make it to the wedding.” She let the words linger in the air between them. This was Scott’s job; picking up broken hearts and learning what to best use to mend them. Intentional or not, it was the life of a man whose career focused on being the emotional support of broken women. 

“And they can’t uninvite him because he’s the groom’s cousin,” Scott finished the story for her, a sigh of defeat wrapping up his words. 

“Charlie hates him since he treated me that way, but-” She froze, stopped speaking. _Since he treated me that way_ implied that there had been wrongdoing; that this was more than just a petty feud resulting from a relationship that had ended on bad terms. “Anyway. I, as you so kindly put it, was desperate. I don’t go out much…”

“Except to the bar every Friday night,” Scott pointed out, grinning. 

“And I’m a self-admitted workaholic,” she spoke over him, “I can’t leave work at work, and if I get a call on a Saturday evening, there’s no letting it wait until Monday morning. I don’t exactly have the most flexible schedule to meet a guy unless it’s on my way into the gym at four o’clock in the morning.”

“Damn,” Scott made an impressed sound beneath his breath, “that’s dedication.” 

She smiled at his almost-compliment before shrugging it off. 

“Dating websites take too long to make connections. I was with… Brad… for two years and out of the six weddings we’d been invited to, he went with me to one. I honestly believe he would have skipped it entirely if his sister hadn’t threatened to stop speaking to him over not seeing her get married.”

Scott didn’t respond, and she’d been talking for so long that she glanced over at him to ensure he hadn’t fallen asleep. He was watching her, his eyes narrowed into focused slits. 

“Do you want him back?” 

Tessa nearly choked, coughed and sputtered until pressing the back of her hand to her mouth. 

“Excuse me?” Her face had gone red again, her heart pounding in her chest. 

“You heard me. Do you want him back? Is that what this week is about?” 

Tessa scoffed, shook her head. 

“I don’t… why would you… if you knew what he did, I don’t think-”

“Easy,” he put a hand out, “I’m not interrogating you. It’s important that I know my role this week. Sometimes women hire me to make men jealous. Sometimes they want just want that last little bit of petty revenge. It makes a difference. I’m still not quite sure which one it is with you.” 

“I don’t want him back,” she spat the words at him, harsher than she’d intended. “He’s an asshole.”

“Well that might be the first thing we’ve agreed on since our mutual admiration for the Leafs.” He hesitated for a moment, eyed her. “That is, if you’re even an actual fan.” 

Tessa chose to ignore him, rolling her eyes and focusing once more on the road in front of her. 

“We need a story. Jordan and Charlie know the truth about you, but the rest of my family is going to be extremely curious and I don’t want to have to make something up on the spot.” She paused just long enough to turn on the blinker, glancing behind her to switch lanes. “You’re a therapist and you’re crazy about me.” 

She peeked at him long enough to see his lips press into a thin line before nodding. 

“Fine.” 

She knew he wanted to argue, probably had his own fantasies he liked to act out in these situations, but she was the paying customer. Things needed to go her way this weekend. 

“So what’s the difference?” She asked, feeling his gaze upon her. 

“The difference with what?” 

“The difference with your role this week,” she responded, “You said it was important that you knew your role, that it makes a difference. What’s the difference?” 

He cleared his throat, leaned forward in his seat. 

“Well, it depends. If you’re looking to get this guy back, my approach would be much different than if you’re just trying to make him regret his terrible decisions. The physical stuff, for instance… I mean-”

“Physical stuff?” Tessa asked, nearly jerking the wheel and causing their car to swerve into the adjacent lane, “What do you mean physical stuff?” 

Scott steadied himself with a hand on the dashboard, looking at her with a wary gaze. 

“First of all, focus on the road. I already told you I can’t come back to Toronto in a body bag. Second of all, chill. Physical, at least in this context, means touching, hugging. A soft kiss on your cheek or forehead. Holding you close while we dance. If you’re trying to get him back, I’d keep it to a minimum. If he believes we’re madly in love, he’ll be less likely to think he even has a shot with you. On the other hand,” he continued, “if your goal is to make him regret losing you, I’d prefer to take a much more hands-on approach.” He paused for a moment, made an amused sound at his own faux pas. “You know. Keeping my arm around you while you’re near, looking longingly at you as you pass me.”

Tessa nodded, the soft tone his voice had taken drowning out the hum of the highway. She tried to imagine it; Scott standing or sitting beside her, his arm hooked around the back of her chair, tugging her closer to him at the reception or rehearsal dinner. He would press his forehead against hers, that seductive smirk appearing at the corner of his lips. What would he say to her? Would he whisper sweet nothings in her ear, or would it be instructions on how to act, what to do, how to flirt? 

“And what am I supposed to do?” She asked, “How am I supposed to react?” 

His eyes hadn’t left her, she realized, and suddenly the heat of his gaze flushed her chest once more. Her skin was warm with something between attraction and embarrassment. 

“I think you’ve already got that covered, Tess.”

She sucked in a breath, suddenly wished there was some way to turn her face away from him, disguise the blush in her cheeks and chest. And already with the nicknames? He’d known her for less than… _oh, Jesus_, they’d barely been in the car thirty minutes. She wasn’t sure she could take another three and a half hours of his cockiness. 

Tessa’s fingers fiddled with the radio buttons, settled on a Sirius XM channel that focused solely on eighties music, settling into the comforting sounds of Air Supply and Hall and Oates. She found herself beginning to hum along sometime during the second hour of their drive, her fingers tapping out the melody of _Private Eyes_, happily oblivious to the handsome stranger in the car beside her.

“Hall and Oates, really?” It was the first time he’d spoken in over an hour. “That’s… surprising.” 

“Everyone knows their greatest hits,” she shot back quickly, turning up the music to quiet him. He smirked to himself, began to nod his head along to the rhythm of the song. When the music had ended, he reached forward and lowered the volume of the radio, watching Tessa’s facial expression as he did so. 

“Wha- excuse me,” she reached for the radio once more, but his hand caught hers gently, stopping her. “My car, my music.” 

“Tell me about yourself,” he said simply, muting the radio. “What are your likes and dislikes? Your passions? Who do you call when you’ve had a bad day?” 

Sensing the opportunity, Tessa glared at him. 

“My likes are listening to the music I enjoy while I’m driving. My dislikes are arrogant men who feel they have the right to touch my personal property when I’m the one paying them to accompany me.” She felt a flash of anger, the sudden desire to pull onto the side of the highway and demand he exit her vehicle. “My passions include Hall and Oates, and to be honest, Scott, Jordan loves them, too, so you can expect to hear their songs at the reception. If you’re not man enough to dance to them with me, that’s your problem, not mine.” 

The smirk never left his face, growing only as her voice grew more high-pitched in frustration. 

“What about Brad?” He asked suddenly. The name threw her off so quickly that she’d barely had time to react when he continued, “Was he man enough to dance with you?”

_Oh, that was it_. It was the last straw on the proverbial camel’s back, the trigger she’d needed in order to react. She removed her foot from the gas pedal, coasted onto the side of the highway, pulling her car into an emergency pull-off lane and just off the pavement. Scott sat still, surely confused, but his smile never wavered. 

“Okay, I’m done,” she took her hands off the wheel, splaying her fingers as she put the car in park. “Get out.” 

Scott blinked, looked around, and then back at her. 

“Nope, I’m good.” 

“Scott, I’m serious,” she insisted, “Get out of my car.” 

He looked at her for a moment, considered her face, and then reached over to unbuckle his seatbelt. Never taking his eyes off her, he opened his car door, stepped calmly into the grass beside them, and wandered around to the front of the car, settling his rear end on the hood of the car. 

She groaned, let out a short cry of frustration, beeped the horn. She saw his shoulders flinch, but he didn’t move. Something about his posture, the way he looked so effortlessly smug, made her anger smolder. She waited another two, four, six minutes before forcing the driver’s side door open and stomping around to stand before him. 

“Move away from my car.” 

She was breathing hard, bristling with rage. He continued to stare at her, his arms folded casually across his chest. His face was calm, unaffected. It only served to further her fury.

“God, I knew hiring you would be a mistake. What could you possibly do for me that I couldn’t do for myself? I would have been better off picking up a random guy at the bar that night.” 

She turned away from him, began to move back to the car. She’d call Jordan, that was what she’d do. She’d have to put up with the I-told-you-so’s, but it would be worth it to have a solution to this problem, worth it to be away from Scott and his narcissism.

“Come here,” Scott called to her suddenly, his arms unfolded, palms turned up, fingers outreached. She studied him for a moment before scoffing, moving to open her car door. He was beside her in an instant, his fingers gently gripping her biceps, turning her so that her back pressed against the driver’s side door. It startled her at first, and she nearly pushed him away, but his touch was so light that she knew there was no force behind it. The slightest struggle would send him backing away from her. She instead glared up at him, her green eyes meeting his. 

“Close your eyes,” he instructed her. She laughed aloud with all the spite she could muster. 

“What, are you crazy? I’m standing on the side of a highway with a complete stranger. I’m not closing my eyes.” 

“You said you would have been better off picking up a random guy at the bar. I’m going to show you how wrong you are. Close. Your. Eyes.”

She narrowed her gaze at him, shook her head. 

“No.” 

He stood pressed against her for a moment, his body heat radiating. She suddenly found it harder to breathe, felt her heart begin to pound against her rib cage as she struggled to slow her respiration. His head dipped closer to hers, his lips brushing the shell of her ear, his voice so quiet she could barely hear it over the din of the traffic. 

“I’m not going to kiss you. Close your eyes.” His voice was so soft, so eerily comforting, that she suddenly found it difficult to resist. Against her own will, she felt her eyes closing, felt his body press into hers. He was quiet for a moment, and she nearly opened her eyes to watch him, when she felt his thumb at the base of her throat, caressing her gently just at the crux of her collarbone.

“He is going to be so sorry he lost you,” he purred, each breath tickling her skin in a delicious way that left her prickled with goosebumps. “So stop worrying. Forget the past. Forget the pain.” His thumb began to stroke the delicate base of her neck, each touch of his fingertips sending electricity through every synapse in her body. 

“Remember what an incredible woman you are, Tessa Jane. And if you do that, he’ll realize what he lost.” 

She didn’t allow her eyes to flutter open until she felt him moving away from her, suddenly chilled by the loss of his warmth. He stood a few feet away from her, his hair ruffling in the breeze created by the traffic behind him. She felt herself stumble back against the car door, her eyes wide as she studied his self-satisfied face. 

“Holy crap,” she felt breathless, “You really are worth every penny.” 

He stepped back, grinning, and patted the suit pocket in which he’d tucked the envelope stuffed with cash. 

“So I’ve been told.” 

She stood motionless for a moment, her head spinning with his whispered words. He raised his eyebrows at her, and the simple action made her flush once more. When he chuckled, she turned her face into her shoulder to hide her bashful smile. 

“Shall we get back on the road?” He asked, “Or should I call an Uber?” 

She couldn’t speak, couldn’t think about anything but the way his breath had felt warm on her skin, and used her fingers to signal for him to get back into the car. 

Once he was seated beside her once more, she turned to look at him before she started the ignition. He appeared innocuous, totally unfazed by the situation that had just transpired. 

“How did you come up with that?” She questioned, brushing a strand of dark hair from her face. 

“Let me let you in on a little secret, Tess,” he dipped his head once more, his dark eyes burning into hers. “You don’t get far in this business without being genuine. Like I said before, nothing I’ve said to you has been a lie.” 

Tessa let his words settle. She turned on the car and eased back onto the highway. Scott’s fingers moved to turn up the radio volume. He smiled at her when Hall and Oates’ _Maneater_ filled the car, his lips beginning to move fluently with the lyrics. 

_money’s the matter_  
if you’re in it for love  
you ain’t gonna get too far 

The irony of the lyrics amused her, and why shouldn’t they? Scott was here to complete his end of their financial deal, to encourage the ruse she’d decided upon. This wasn’t about love. 

It didn’t matter that the things he’d said to her as he’d brushed his fingers over her skin were the sexiest, most evocative words anyone had ever spoken to her. 

Brad would be sorry, she realized with a gleeful grin, when he saw the way Scott made her feel. 

And, perhaps, she swallowed the lump in her throat, so would she.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	4. If Tessa Doesn't Stop Rolling Her Eyes, They're Going to Get Stuck That Way

When they were thirty minutes outside their destination, Tessa coasted the vehicle into a rest area, pulling into a parking spot and glancing toward Scott.

“I have to change my clothes,” she explained to Scott as he shot her a questionable glance. “We’re way too matchy-matchy.” 

He frowned, glanced down at his tie. 

“Matching is typically a good thing.” 

“When it’s subtle,” she nodded, “it looks like we’re trying too hard.” 

He looked back up at her, tilted his head. 

“It was entirely coincidental.” 

“Yeah, well, it won’t come off that way,” she shrugged, already unbuckling her seat belt. “Anyway, Jordan and Charlie spent over two decades coordinating every outfit without even meaning to. It’ll stand out to them.”

He sighed, settled back into the car seat and crossed his arms over his chest. Clutching the door handle, she glanced back at him. 

“Come on.” 

“Why do I have to go?” He whined, “I can’t just wait here?” 

“I need your opinion,” she arched an eyebrow at him. “God knows you’ve been giving it to me since you got into my car.” She paused for a moment, feigning uncertainty, “Or does that fall under additional charges?” 

“No,” he sighed, unbuckling his seat belt, “opinions are included in the pricing.” Tessa slid from the car just before him, going around to the back of the vehicle to pull several outfits from her suitcase. Scott leaned against the side of the car, arms crossed once more, watching her as she dug through her bags, grinning. “But if you’re interested in the extras, I’m happy to give you a rundown of my prices.”

Tessa paused, sucking her breath in. She could feel her face flushing again, clenched her jaw before bringing herself to her full height and slamming the vehicle’s cargo door. 

“Please don’t.” 

He smirked at her but said nothing and she rounded the car toward the rest area. She could hear the sound of his feet following behind her, wasn’t sure if she should make an effort to swing her hips as she walked or attempt to detract any attention from herself. She could feel his eyes on her, knew he was watching her, probably studying the curve of her ass in the powder-blue dress. 

Tessa had always been self-conscious about her body. She’d always been too skinny, too flat-chested. Neither she nor Jordan had been gifted with an abundance of curves, though the fantastical costumes her sister had worn throughout her decorated career had always done their best to accent her shape. Tessa had taken advice from her sister, stuffing her bra until she was old enough to be ashamed of it, then replacing the tissues with a push-up bra when she’d realized there was nothing shameful in working with the body she was given. 

She’d always envied the girls with large chests, the ones with hips that made men go crazy just by walking past. Brad had been the first man who’d actually made her feel comfortable with her body, who had cupped her breasts and traced his hands down the cut of her abs and made her feel feminine and worthy of a man’s attention. Since his betrayal, she’d struggled to find that same confidence. In her mind, in her heart, she knew that any man’s opinion shouldn’t matter as much as her own, but it had been such a devastating blow that it had knocked her self-esteem for a loop. 

She thought back to the night she’d stood in the doorway of his bedroom, watching as he and the strange blonde woman made love, feeling so fucking stupid for slipping into that skin-tight red dress that rode so high on her thighs. She’d nearly torn the thing into pieces once she’d gotten home, sobbing and humiliated at the idea of believing that she could be something than any man could find desirable. 

Just before she reached the entrance of the building, she turned quickly. As she’d expected (hoped?) Scott’s eyes moved quickly up her body to meet hers, wide and unassuming in the assumed confidence that she hadn’t caught him watching her hips. 

“My eyes are up here, Scott,” she drew two fingers in a V, tracing them from her gaze and in his direction. She pretended not to notice when his jaw clenched, but when she turned away from him once more, she already felt the smile tugging at the corner of her lips. 

She moved toward the women’s washroom, gesturing to a bench located directly across from the door. Wordlessly, and perhaps knowing it wouldn’t be wise to speak at the moment, Scott sank onto the bench, giving her a thumbs up as she pushed into the washroom. 

It was early December in Canada; cold and only getting colder. Once they arrived at the lake, the temperature was sure to be even lower than currently, yet Tessa still found herself slipping a simple black dress with lace sleeves off the hanger and tugging it over her head. It slid over her frame easily, settling at mid-thigh length. Tessa emerged from the stall, studied herself in the mirror hanging above the sink, skimming her hands down her sides. 

It occurred to her, as she made her way to the washroom door, the irony of her situation. She’d spent two years seeing herself through Brad’s eyes, feeling beautiful because he’d told her she was; feeling sexy because his touch had made her believe it. That had been proceeded by the past three months in which she’d come to believe she wasn’t worthy of love, that she’d wasted the best years of her life with a man who had no respect for her and was destined to spend her remaining decades alone. 

And now, here she was, pushing through the washroom door and glancing at up Scott expectantly, feeling solely dependent on him to make her feel that way again, beautiful and wanted. 

His gaze began at her feet, tracing up her slender legs, over the slight curve of her hips. His eyes lingered for maybe just a moment too long at the way the dress curved into a deep V on her chest, and even beneath his wordless contemplation, she felt her chest flushing dark pink. If he noticed before he forced himself to look at her face, he was kind enough not to say anything. 

He blinked, eyes narrowed as he studied her. 

“You look like you’re going to a funeral,” he observed. She frowned, and he laughed. “What? You wanted my opinion.” 

With a frustrated groan, she turned back into the washroom and returned to her stall. She shrugged out of the dress, mumbling to herself about Scott’s narcissistic tendencies as she pulled on an emerald-green sweater and a pair of high-waisted denim. 

Emerging from the bathroom stall, she exited the washroom once more and caught his eyes. The teasing smirk was gone from his lips, his dark eyes studying her with all the seriousness she’d wanted him to display. 

“Why does this matter so much to you?” He asked. The question, for once, wasn’t mocking, wasn’t intended to catch her off guard. His voice was softer than she’d heard it thus far, his eyebrows slightly furrowed into a concerned look. “I don’t get it.” 

“Because I feel like crap,” she blurted, even before she’d realized she had spoken. “And if I feel like crap, it’s going to be obvious to everyone.” She paused for a moment, and then, quieter, added, “Including Brad.” 

He blinked up at her, the corners of his lips turning up into a slight smile. 

“Keep the sweater. Take off the jeans.” 

At the surprise on her face, he laughed; it was a genuine laugh, one that she could imagine the Scott from the bar expressing. It wasn’t forced, didn’t seem contrived or phony. 

“I mean, don’t take off the jeans, you don’t have to undress in front of me, I just-” he said suddenly, and there it was again, the hint of boyish charm that she’d detected at the bar, that youthfulness that was hidden behind the professional exterior of his façade. “Try something else. A skirt, maybe?” 

She nodded, suddenly breathless. 

“Yeah. A skirt.” 

She disappeared back into the washroom, once more into the stall she’d claimed for herself. Perusing the limited clothing she’d brought into the washroom with her, she chose the only skirt she’d grabbed from her car. It was black leather, shorter than she’d intended it to be when she’d ordered it online. She hesitated for a moment and then stepped into it, pulling it up before zipping herself into it. 

She blinked at herself in the mirror, used her fingers to pull her hair from the low ponytail it had been tied into and then tousled the dark strands to give them some volume. She shook her head, allowed the waves to fall just past her shoulders before taking another breath and moving to the washroom exit once more. 

This time, Scott wasn’t on the bench. She looked around desperately for a moment; what if he’d abandoned her here? He couldn’t have left in the car without her, but maybe he’d called for that Uber, or decided to hitch a ride with another woman? He had her money, there was nothing keeping him here. Panic had already started to rise in her throat when she took another step into the lobby, calling his name. 

“Scott?” 

“Here!” He called in response, but his voice sounded far off. It took her a moment to see him, but he came around the corner, a bottle of water in one hand and a pack of crackers in the other. “Sorry, I wanted a snack. I was-”

He stopped speaking when he saw her, his eyes first meeting her face, taking a moment to study the way her hair fell around her. His tongue darted out to wet his lips as his eyes lowered, considering the green sweater once more, matched now with the mini-skirt and a pair of black leather boots that nearly came to her knees. 

“Yes,” he said the word, though it sounded more like a whispered gratitude than an answer to her unasked question. He cleared his throat and then lowered his eyes, only to fully take her in once more. “I mean, yes. You look incredible.”

His words surprised her; it felt like the first fully genuine thing he’d said to her since he’d climbed into her car this morning. There was a slight widening of his eyes, another swipe of his tongue across his lower lip, and he nodded.

“Do you still feel like crap?” He asked, the magic of the moment already broken as he began to peel the plastic packaging apart, shoving a cracker into his mouth and chewing as he studied Tessa. 

“Still feel like crap,” she mumbled, watching him chew and swallow, “I just wanted to feel hot while doing it.” 

He kept his gaze on her as he took another cracker from the package, consuming that one before he spoke again. 

“Well, mission accomplished.” 

Thirty minutes later, the pale flesh on Tessa’s legs chilled with goosebumps, they pulled off the highway and into the village of Bayfield. Tessa guided the car through the quiet streets, smiling at the pedestrians as they crossed the streets, bundled in their winter wear. The ground was blanketed in a crisp white layer of snow that crunched beneath the tires of the vehicle as she navigated the streets. 

She glanced at Scott, unable to suppress the smile that pressed onto her lips at the look of wonder on his face. He looked so much younger, reminded her so much of the man she’d met at the bar that night when he’d been a designated driver for his out-of-towner friends. 

“I spent so much time here when I was little,” she spoke, her voice barely audible over the hum of the car. “Jordan I used to spend hours in the lake. Well, when she wasn’t traveling for a competition or something, anyway.” 

She felt him turn to her, study her profile.

“Okay, we’re about ten minutes away from the cottage. There are a few things we should go over before we get there.” Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Tessa leaned forward, grabbing a piece of folded paper in the compartment just beneath the radio. Her fingers struggled with it for a moment, attempting to open it, but when she couldn’t unfold it, she tossed it at Scott. “Read that.” 

Their interaction at the rest area had comforted her, somehow. Seeing those few moments of genuineness within him had led her to believe that this wouldn’t be as difficult as she’d initially imagined it, but as the kilometers to their destination had dwindled, her anxiety had grown. 

Shooting her an uncertain look, he unfolded the paper and studied it. 

“Are you… is this a cheat sheet?” He sounded incredulous, and as she glanced away from the road to meet his eyes, she saw that he was arching an eyebrow at her. 

“This week has to go smoothly,” she explained, “you don’t understand how important this is.” 

“Smooth, okay,” he shook his head, “but this is insane.” He was quiet for a moment, his lips moving silently as he read the page. “You want me to memorize this?”

She nodded, clutched the steering wheel. 

“Don’t you think you should have given this to me earlier, like when I first got into your car?” He narrowed his eyes at the paper. “Wait. This isn’t just a cheat sheet. This is a fake dating history.” 

“We met at the gym,” Tessa began, “you were working on your deltoids and I was on a Peloton bike. You asked me out first and I said no.” 

Scott scoffed, looking up at her. 

“Why would you say no?” He sounded hurt.

“Keep reading,” she advised him. His eyes moved back to the paper, studying the words. 

“I seemed full of myself,” he read, then smiled. “Yeah, I can see that.” 

Tessa rolled her eyes. 

“After we ran into each other two more times that week, I decided to give you a chance. You know, because I-”

“Because you’re a big believer in fate,” he interrupted her, looking away from the paper. 

As she pulled to a stop, she glanced toward him. 

“I didn’t write that.” 

“You didn’t need to,” he shook his head, “that’s what you said at the bar. That you were a big believer in fate, and that if we were meant to see each other again, we would.” He was quiet for a moment. “I was an idiot to almost believe that. But you knew all along we would see each other again.”

Tessa nearly ducked her head like a wounded dog, shooting him an apologetic glance before she pulled away from the stop sign. It seemed worse somehow when he phrased it that way, none of the spite in his voice. 

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, and for the first time, she meant it. “Can you just… we’re almost there.” 

He watched her for a moment before lowering his eyes to the paper once more. 

“Our first date was bowling, per your suggestion, but we didn’t so much as kiss until the second date.” He stopped, looked up at her. 

“What?” She asked. 

“I mean,” he raised his eyebrows, “technically, if you think about it… this is kind of our second date.” 

Tessa pulled into the parking lot of the reception hall where Jordan and Charlie were waiting inside for them. Before she even turned off the ignition, she glared at him. 

“This is not a date. This is a business transaction. Or have you forgotten that already?” Her voice was sharper than she’d intended it to be. She pointed to the paper once more, but when he didn’t move quickly enough, she pulled it from her hands. 

“Quick, when’s my birthday?” She quizzed him. He blinked, shook his head. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Jesus, Scott, how are we going to pull this off if you can’t even remember my birthday?” 

“To be fair, I barely remember my own birthday.” 

She scowled at him. 

“May seventeenth. What’s my favorite color?” 

Scott hesitated, screwed his mouth up for a moment as if he were considering the answer. He studied her sweater, then her eyes. 

“Gorgeous green,” he grinned. 

Tessa sighed in irritation, let the paper flutter to the floorboard of the car, resting her head on the steering wheel. 

“This isn’t going to work,” she mumbled the words to herself, squeezing her eyes shut. “God, what was I thinking?” 

Scott sat quietly beside her for a moment before he bent, retrieved the paper and studied it for another moment. 

“I know you’re nervous,” he said softly, his voice measured and calm. “But I really don’t think we need to know everything about each other to make this work. There’s only a few things I need to know about you, Tess, and those things aren’t written down on this paper. In fact, I already know them.” 

The gentleness of his voice made her raise her head, blinking away tears of frustration.

“What could you possibly know that’s not written on that paper?” She asked, her voice breaking, “I listed everything I could think of.”

There was a moment of quiet between them before he lifted his hand slowly, his fingers splayed. She eyed his hand, but he moved so slowly that when he moved to brush a strand of hair from her dark face, it came as no surprise. After he had tucked the hair behind her ear, the tips of his fingers traced her jaw down to her chin. Her eyes threatened to flutter closed and she shook her head to pull herself from her reverie. 

“I know that when I touch you very gently,” he spoke, his voice barely audible, “you want to close your eyes. I know that when you’re angry, your green eyes get so dark that they’re almost black. I know that you feel like you are the least desirable woman in the world… and I know that you’re wrong.” 

His fingertips left her face, leaving a void in their wake. She blinked once, twice, and then looked toward him. 

“Good God, how do you keep doing that?” 

He smiled at her, opened his mouth to speak, but then his eyes focused on something beyond her head.

“I think we’ve been spotted,” he raised his hand, wiggling his fingers at the person behind them. Tessa turned, thought for a moment she was looking at a reflection of herself in the glass before realizing that Jordan was bent beside the car, grinning at her. 

Tessa squealed and pushed the car door open, wrapping her older sister in a tight hug. Jordan laughed, shrieking happily as she embraced her. 

“I can’t believe you’re here! You made it!” She pulled away, taking Tessa’s face in her hands and peppering it with soft kisses. “I’m getting married this week!” 

Tessa gasped, grinned at her, and then pulled her in for another hug. It was cold outside, much too cold for the short skirt she’d chosen to wear, but Jordan’s arms were so warm and comforting that it took several long moments for her to begin to feel the chill. 

The car door opened behind them and Scott stepped out, coming around the front of the vehicle and pausing as he watched Tessa and Jordan huddle close together. Jordan raised her head, met Tessa’s eyes, and then turned to look at Scott. 

“Jord,” Tessa reached for her sister’s hand, took it within her own. “This is Scott.” 

Jordan raised her eyebrows at Tessa, shooting her a mischievous smile before looking back to Scott. 

“Scott,” Jordan put her hand out, “It’s nice to officially meet you.” 

“It’s a pleasure, Miss Virtue,” Scott returned her handshake, brought the back of her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. Jordan watched the action, her mouth slightly agape, before turning back to Tessa, her voice a whisper. 

“Jesus, Tess, he’s even cuter up close.” 

Scott made a small, satisfied noise in the back of his throat and Tessa scoffed, rolling her eyes. 

“Trust me, sis, I just spent four hours in the car with him. He doesn’t need the ego boost.”

“And what a lovely four hours it’s been,” Scott grinned at her. “I’ve never felt so alive.” 

Jordan giggled, a high-pitched tinkle that had won her her share of suitors over the years. 

“He’s funny, too,” Jordan mused, wrapping an arm around Tessa before turning her attention to the man before them. “Scott, I don’t even know you, and I love you already.”

Tessa groaned, feigning disgust. She’d spend the entire trip battling his smugness, turning away from his self-satisfied smiles and doing everything in her power to restrain herself from depositing him on the side of the highway, but as she watched his interactions with Jordan, she felt a strange sense of pride. 

She’d always adored Jordan, had wanted nothing more than to be like her older sister, to be accepted and approved of. The fact that Tessa had specifically chosen Scott, had literally picked him from a list of eligible men, and Jordan had taken such a quick liking to him made her feel as if this might work, made her feel as if, despite everything, she’d made the right choice. 

Jordan glanced down at Tessa’s bare legs, noticing her short skirt for the first time. 

“God, Tess, it’s freezing. What are you wearing? Come on, let’s get inside. Charlie’s dying to meet Scott.” 

Jordan took Tessa’s hand, practically dragging her up the stairs to the reception venue, Scott following behind them. Jordan pushed through the large glass doors and let out a satisfied sigh at the warmth that enveloped them. Tessa glanced around the building, her eyes raising to study the vaulted ceiling. Wooden beams crisscrossed over their heads, leading to a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that displayed the beauty of Lake Huron.

Tessa wanted to move closer, to take a further look at the icy water beyond their field of vision, but Jordan was already calling out to Charlie, and she turned to see her future brother-in-law’s grinning face, his mop of dark blonde hair bouncing as he jogged across the gargantuan room to them. 

“Tess!” He swept Tessa into a tight hug, lifting her feet from the floor. She giggled, squeezing his neck. 

“Hey, Charlie,” she stepped back as he placed her on the floor once more, “I’m so excited for you guys. I can’t wait until we’re officially related.” 

Charlie beamed at her like he had since she’d been four-years-old and starry-eyed over him. Jordan had always teased Tessa at the way she’d gone red around him for years, until she’d realized that what Jordan and Charlie had was much more than a platonic skating partnership. Now, they were so inextricably linked that there was no thinking of Charlie without thinking of Jordan, and vice versa. 

Charlie’s eyes left hers long enough to focus on Scott, his hand coming out in a gesture of greeting. 

“You must be Scott.” 

“I must be,” Scott nodded, accepting his handshake and glancing toward Tessa. “And you’re Charlie Jacobs.”

“I must be,” Charlie nodded, glancing back at Tessa and Jordan for a moment before tilting his head at Scott. “So… the Leafs this year, eh?” 

Jordan sighed, looked toward Tessa. 

“And the hockey talk has started. That’s our cue. Behave yourselves, boys,” Jordan advised them before taking Tessa’s arm and guiding her away from the men. Scott watched her go, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. 

Tessa and Jordan strolled through the venue, Jordan pointing out the various areas that would be set up on the night of the reception. She discreetly guided Tessa to the women’s washroom, closing the door behind them. Tessa glanced behind her. 

“Wha-”

“Okay, tell me everything,” Jordan’s voice trembled with excitement, “He’s cute, right? Is he everything you expected? Was he mad about the bar? Has he tried to do anything inappropriate to you, because I don’t care if I’m getting married in five days, I’ll-”

“No!” Tessa laughed, thinking only of the moment earlier in the day as they had stood beside her car on the highway. His mouth had been so close to her ear, his breath tickling her skin as he’d spoken to her. He’d promised not to kiss her, but now she wondered: if he’d tried, would she have stopped him? The question left her feeling flushed once more, but she shook her head. “No, he hasn’t been inappropriate. He’s been… well, he’s been a jerk, but that’s only because he’s so full of himself. He thinks he’s God’s gift to women.” 

Jordan watched her, amused. 

“Well, you did pay six thousand dollars to have him accompany you for a week,” she pointed out. 

Tessa rolled her eyes.

“Can we just forget that part, please? He’s just a guy. He was annoyed about the bar thing, but I think he’s over it… for the most part. You’ll be glad to know he’s driven me crazy the entire way here. I can’t wait to get to the cottage and just relax in my room.” Tessa found herself smiling despite her mild annoyance, but as she studied Jordan’s face, she knew there was something more. “What?”

“Don’t kill me,” Jordan pleaded suddenly, and Tessa felt herself blanche. “I’m sorry.” 

“Oh, God, Jordan, what now?” She felt a panic rising within her; the last time she’d approached her in this way, it had been to tell her that Brad was coming to the wedding. Her mind raced with possibilities of what could have gone wrong now. What did Jordan know what she hadn’t told her? 

“No, no,” Jordan shook her head, “It’s not anything like that. It’s just… you know, when you were with… well when I booked the cottages, I had only reserved a one bedroom for you and Brad because… but when Scott came into the picture, I called to try to switch you to a different one, you know, a two bedroom? But they… well, it was really late by then, and they didn’t have-”

“Jordan, spit it out,” Tessa demanded. 

“You and Scott are booked in the same one-bedroom cottage,” she spoke quickly, seemingly too rushed to even pause for a breath, “it’s called Lover’s Retreat and I’m sorry.” 

Tessa blinked at her, tried to form the words that came to her mind, but couldn’t bring herself to speak. 

“You’re kidding, right?” She finally asked. Jordan shook her head slowly, her eyes wide and wet. Tessa swore beneath her breath. “I can’t believe this is happening.” 

“I know,” Jordan placed a comforting hand on her sister’s back, “But look on the bright side! After this week, you’ll never have to see him again.” 

“Yeah,” Tessa offered her sister a weak smile, “with any luck.” 

But though she wouldn’t dare say the words aloud, Scott had already planted a tiny seed of hope within her with his earlier words: _you feel like you are the least desirable woman in the world… and I know that you’re wrong._

It terrified her that, somewhere deep inside, she wanted Scott to show her how wrong she truly was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and letting me know their thoughts. I hope you're having as much fun as I am. Also, if you see errors, they're all me. I don't have a beta and I rush through these chapters to get them posted!
> 
> One last thing, I am very much not a “women need men to validate them” person. I believe because of this Tessa’s self-confidence issues and the betrayal she went through, she’s not in a healthy mindset. Just wanted to make that clear!


	5. Tessa, Scott, and The Great Wall of Pillows

“You didn’t tell me you knew them.” Tessa slid her suitcase onto the bed and unzipped it, began pulling her clothes from the bag. She glanced toward him as she slid the black dress she’d tried on earlier onto a hanger before placing it in the closet. 

“I didn’t tell you I knew them,” Scott responded, unzipping his own garment bag before shaking his head at her, “because I don’t _know_ them. I met them once when I was eighteen years old and they used my family’s skate shop for a quick repair. The only reason Charlie even recognized me was because of my last name.” 

Tessa turned to face him fully, her eyes narrowed. 

“You didn’t even tell _me_ your last name,” she protested. 

“You didn’t ask,” he pointed out. 

Tessa straightened, watched him for a moment. Well, that was true. She’d been so caught up on the idea of Scott learning everything about her that she hadn’t taken any time to learn about him beyond what she’d been able to piece together online. But if he was right, if what they really needed to know about each other couldn’t be learned from a piece of paper, did that matter? She tried to reassure herself with this fact, whether it was in an attempt to make herself feel less guilty, she wasn’t sure. 

And really, what difference would it have made if he’d thought to bring that fact up this morning on the way to the lake? Neither Jordan nor Charlie had recognized Scott on sight, and it wasn’t until they’d reunited after the detour into the women’s washroom that Charlie and Scott had approached them with broad smiles. 

Charlie had clapped his hand onto Scott’s shoulder, grinning at his bride-to-be. 

“Jord, did you know Scott’s a Moir?” 

Jordan had looked from her fiancée to Scott and then back. 

“What, you mean, like the skate shop?” 

“Yes, like the skate shop!” Charlie had cried gleefully. “His uncle owns it.”

“No way!” Jordan had clasped her hands together in excitement before looking at Tessa. “Why didn’t you say something?” 

_Because I didn’t know,_ she’d wanted to say. _Because I’ve been so obsessed with preparing to make Brad believe that Scott’s desperately in love with me that I haven’t bothered to consider reciprocating that same passion._ Instead, she’d glanced at Scott, had seen what looked like shame in his eyes, and then had forced a smile. 

“I don’t know,” she’d shrugged, “I guess I didn’t think to mention it.”

Her uncertainty had earned her a playful eye roll from Jordan, and before she had a chance to speak again, Scott had unexpectedly slid an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. The action had caught her off guard and she’d stumbled away from him, shaking her head. 

“Scott, they know,” she’d murmured, glancing him from to the other couple, “they know the truth about you. You don’t have to act this way in front of them.” 

Jordan had stopped chattering, watching the two of them. Silently, Scott stepped away from Tessa. 

“It’s been a long ride, eh? Maybe you need some time to unpack.” Jordan had reached into her purse, withdrew a silver key with a dangling key chain. “Your cottage is just up the road, not even two kilometers. It’s beautiful, really… and I’m so sorry about the bedroom situation.” 

“What’s the, uh, bedroom situation?” Scott had asked. Tessa had closed her eyes, slowly released a tense breath. Jordan had glanced to her before looking back at him. 

“There’s… well there’s only one,” she’d said the words quickly, as if they might trigger something within Tessa. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the smug grin on Scott’s face. She knew he was watching her, and when she’d opened her eyes a few seconds later, her suspicion was confirmed. Tessa had reached for the key, snatching it from her sister’s hand. 

Scott had turned his attention toward Jordan, the grin somehow going from smug to boyish in a matter of seconds. 

“Thank you so much, Jordan,” he’d spoken in that silky voice, causing the corners of her sister’s lips to turn up into a delighted smile, “you’re too kind.” 

“Yeah, she’s something,” Tessa had mumbled, loud enough for Jordan to hear, “but kind’s not the word I would use.” 

When they’d arrived at the cottage, there had been a comfortable silence between her and Scott. They’d explored the small abode together, coming to a standstill at the base of the stairs that led to the loft bedroom. Tessa had climbed the stairs first, followed by Scott, both of them quietly observing the cozy room. There was a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows across from the bed, a fireplace just beside that. Tessa had made her way into the ensuite, marveling at the sunken tub and marble fixtures. A picture window overlooked the tub, the late afternoon light streaming into the washroom. 

“Well, all I’m saying,” she turned back to her suitcase, continued to unpack, “is that it would have been nice to have that information up front.” 

“What do you want me to say? You want me to apologize for meeting your sister and her skating partner once, fifteen years ago?”

Scott sighed behind her, brushing past her to hang his items on the other side of the closet. 

Tessa felt annoyance rising in her chest. What right did he have to be angry with her? She was the one who was paying him; he should be kissing her feet, though that was likely an additional charge. 

As he moved past her once more, he slipped out of his suit jacket and draped it over a chair, began to loosen his tie. She watched him wordlessly until his hands moved to pull his shirt from where it was tucked into his trousers. She didn’t believe it at first; she thought perhaps that he was merely making himself more comfortable in the privacy of the cottage, but when his fingers began to deftly undo the buttons, her eyes grew wide. 

She reached out, as if the action would stop him, but he was already sliding the dress shirt off his shoulders, exposing his chest, his abs, his arms. 

“Woah, woah, what are you doing?” She cried out, moving away from him. It was just a chest, she’d seen plenty of them in her life, but this was Scott’s chest. This was the same chest she’d seen in that photograph online, the muscles even more well-defined in person. She could see the curve of his abdominal muscles beneath his fair skin, and there was that sprinkling of fine hair that led below the black leather belt around his waist. Inexplicably, enigmatically, she wanted to reach out and trace that trail with the tips of her fingers. The suddenly realization caused her to curl her fingers into tight fists. 

“I’m showering,” he stated simply, hands already beginning to work on his belt, “or do I need to give you that information up front as well?” 

At the metal clink of his belt, she averted her eyes, forcing herself to focus on the suitcase before her. 

She knew she should say something snarky back, she wanted to, but she found it impossible to focus or even speak at the thought of Scott undressing just beside her. Her movements felt robotic, machine-like as he slid out of his pants. When she saw, from the corner of her eye, that he began to tug down his boxer-briefs, she took a shuddering breath and sank onto the bed beside her clothing. 

He laughed, a silky smooth chuckle that left Tessa speechless as he moved past her. She kept her eyes lowered as he walked, but as he moved into the doorway of the washroom, she dared to let herself peek at his body. His legs were strong and toned, the two round globes of his ass were far more muscular than she’d expected. She found herself unable to look away and he didn’t glance back as he started the shower and stepped inside. 

This was wrong. She couldn’t ogle him like a marble statue, she refused to. But as the glass door of the shower closed behind him and the water began to heat, she cursed at the steam that slowly covered her view of his god-like body.

She sat for another moment, her head spinning. She should go, she rationalized. She could walk outside or even close the washroom door, which he’d conveniently neglected to do. She could practice her maid-of-honor speech in the mirror. She could paint her nails despite the fact that she, Jordan, and her mother were due for manicures and pedicures on Saturday morning. There were a million things she could do to distract herself into not watching the shadow of his body through the steam that clouded the glass doors. 

She heard his voice, assumed he was calling out to her over the thrum of the shower, but just before she responded to him, his voice grew in pitch, taking on a falsetto. 

“…_and, how, I can’t explain, oh yeah. Well, well, you… you make my dreams come true…_”

She blinked, recognized the lyrics immediately. _You Make My Dreams. Hall and Oates._ She groaned, but despite her irritation, she felt the corners of her lips turning up into a smile. She pushed herself from the bed, made her way slowly into the washroom. She saw Scott turn to look at her through the class, catching his grin.

“I thought you didn’t like Hall and Oates,” she called over the din of the shower. She watched his muscular shoulders shrug as he massaged shampoo into his hair. 

“Everyone knows their greatest hits.” 

Tessa fought the smile that threatened to press across her lips, settled onto the closed toilet seat across from the shower. 

“Why did you decide to get into this business?” She asked, raising her voice for him to hear. She saw him step into the hot spray of water, allowed it to clear the shampoo from his hair. “You like hockey. Your family owns a skating shop. Didn’t you ever try to play?” 

She saw him pause, swore she could hear the quiet breath he took. 

“Nah,” he said after a moment, “I’m shit at hockey. Besides, I can make more money in a week by doing this than most people make in months.” He shot her a look through the steamed glass. “Thanks, by the way.” 

Tessa narrowed her eyes at him, shook her head. 

“Isn’t there anything else you could do instead?” She asked, somehow unwilling to let the conversation die. “You could be a firefighter, a police officer.”

The shower shut off suddenly, and before Tessa even had the chance to turn away from him, the glass door swung open, revealing his nude body to her completely. 

Tessa gasped and grabbed for a towel on the rack beside her, throwing it at him with lightning speed, but her eyes grazed the lower half of his body for a moment too long, and there was no denying it. Scott really was a god.

He caught the towel in his hands and laughed, but instead of immediately wrapping it around his waist, he used it to rub his hair dry. 

“Go ahead and look,” he grinned at her, “it’s part of the package deal.” 

The… package. Holy shit. Tessa averted her gaze, but the image had already been seared into her retinas. His penis hung limply against his inner thigh, but it was lengthy, and she wondered how it would swell in her hands as she-

No. Absolutely not. She could not go down this route. And… even if she could go down this route, she wasn’t sure she had enough money in her bank account to make it happen.

“Tess, I get to travel the world with beautiful women. I eat at the nicest restaurants; I sleep in the finest hotels.” His words had an edge to them that she didn’t quite understand. 

“Yeah, but you could-”

“What, work in a law firm, like you?” He cut her off, his voice suddenly sharp. “Work twelve hour days and never have time to meet anyone while slowly killing myself from the inside out? No thanks, I’m good.”

She blinked up at him, realizing the hurtful words were meant for her. She opened her mouth to protest but found he had shocked her into silence. Tessa leaned forward on the closed toilet seat, wrapping her arms around herself, suddenly chilled despite the humidity in the air. She felt sick, wanted to be away from him and pushed herself off the lid and out of the washroom. 

Her feet carried her down the stairs of the loft and out the front door of the cottage. She realized, as soon as she’d exited the house that she hadn’t grabbed her purse or her keys, and there was no way in hell she’d be able to trek the two kilometers down to the reception venue in her knee-high boots. Frozen by the wind and indecision, Tessa sank onto the front steps of the cottage, pulling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her exposed skin.

She felt tears stinging her eyes but couldn’t be sure if it was due to the frigid conditions or the way Scott had spoken to her. Not for the first time, she regretted contacting him. It would have been easier to do this alone, she realized. So maybe Brad would have seen her as the same vulnerable woman he’d deceived three months ago, but at least then she could have been herself. She could have focused on Jordan, on her family, on anything but pretending to be head-over-heels for a man that didn’t give a shit about her. 

The tear escaped her eye, slid down her cheek in betrayal and she wiped it away with the sleeve of her sweater. She sat for what felt like thirty minutes but was, in actuality, probably much closer to ten. When the wind became too much to bear, she buried her head in her arms and shivered against the breeze. 

She heard the front door of the cottage open, but didn’t lift her head. There were footsteps and then she felt warmth enveloping her, glanced up just as Scott tucked a cable-knit blanket around her bare legs and draped it over her back. He cleared his throat but didn’t say a word until he lowered himself onto the stairs beside her.

There was a long moment of silence between them as his eyes focused on a point on the distance in front of them, Tessa watching his profile as she shuddered in the new-found warmth of the blanket. 

“I’m sorry,” he said after a lengthy silence. “I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t mean it.” 

Tessa watched him for a few seconds before focusing on the blanket he’d wrapped around her. She studied the knit pattern, wondered how long it would take her to count each minuscule hole. 

“You did mean it,” she shook her head, “and it’s true. I spend my entire life at that office. I don’t even know how I managed to get this week off. They could call me in the middle of the wedding and I’d go rushing back up the aisle to speak to a client.” 

She felt a crushing weight upon her suddenly, hated that she had made a career of something she was so dispassionate about. But she knew, truly, it wasn’t his words that had hurt her. It was something deeper. She hadn’t realized until he’d raised his voice with her that she’d grown accustomed to it with Brad. They hadn’t argued often in their two-year relationship, but when he was angry or frustrated, he could cut her down with his words quicker than anyone else. He knew her weakest spots, knew exactly what to say in order to bring her to her knees, but he’d never laid a hand on her. 

“Brad spoke to me that way sometimes,” she explained, hearing the break of emotion in her own voice, clearing her throat to dispel it. “He always knew the quickest way to hurt me.”

Scott looked over at her, but he didn’t speak. He squinted against the grey sky, his hands hanging between his knees as he sat beside her. 

“He’s going to be here tomorrow, Jordan said. She and Charlie tried to beg him off a few more days, but he’d already booked his flight. He’s staying in a cottage down the road with a few other family members.” She glanced toward Scott, noticing for the first time that he’d changed into a grey Henley and a pair of fitted black pants. His dark hair had been brushed back from his face and she’d assumed he’d shaved after his shower, because his face was boyishly void of stubble.

“I caught Brad cheating on me,” she announced suddenly, watching Scott’s face. He didn’t react outwardly, but she saw the way his jaw tensed at the words. “I don’t know who she was. A blonde woman. I guess she’ll be here with him this week.” At the last thought, she stifled a sob in her throat, pushed it down. Scott tensed beside her, she saw his arm flex as though he meant to lift it, as though he was fighting the urge to slip it around her. 

“We’d been together for almost two years at that point,” she continued, though she wasn’t even sure why. “I should have known better when he gave me a promise ring rather than an engagement ring. I was so stupid to believe he’d want to spend the rest of his life with me.” 

She didn’t understand why she couldn’t stop speaking; she’d never opened up this way to anyone except Jordan and their mother. Even the time she’d visited a therapist much to the behest of Jordan and Charlie, she’d been unable or unwilling to share any of her private thoughts with the woman. And now, she was spilling her guts to Scott on the steps of the one-bedroom cottage they’d have to share for the next week. 

“You’re not stupid at all,” he interrupted her thoughts, “but this Brad guy is a fucking idiot.” He glanced toward her, shot her a soft apologetic smile. “Sorry.”

She smirked at him, shook her head before looking down once more. 

“You’re not sorry.” 

He laughed, and it was the same sound she’d heard earlier in the day, the one that reminded her of the Scott she’d met at the bar. Despite herself, she smiled. 

“Listen,” he reached out, his cold fingers brushing her dark hair behind her ear. The shock of his touch on her cheek drew her attention back to him, her green eyes wide and unquestioning. “By the end of this wedding, Brad’s going to hate himself for letting you go.” He narrowed his gaze at her. “But I need you to believe that, as well. Do you?” 

Tessa smiled softly, dipped her head in a gentle nod despite the fact that she wasn’t sure any man would ever lament the loss of her. 

“Okay,” he grinned at her, his nose wrinkling in a way that she suddenly found adorable despite cursing his existence no more than twenty minutes ago. “Now can we get back inside? I’m freezing my balls-” He caught himself, shot her a bashful smile. “It’s really cold out here.”

As they moved back into the cottage, Tessa still clutching the blanket around her, she gave him a quick rundown of the next few day’s events. Tonight was a dinner with immediately family, tomorrow was a wedding-party brunch. Over the next five days, there would be bachelor and bachelorette parties, rehearsals, too many meals to count. He took it all in stride, nodding as he watched her climb the stairs to the loft once more to change. 

When she reappeared nearly an hour later, her dark hair falling in soft curves, donning a black midi dress with red flowers and a deep v neckline, she felt more confident. Scott looked up from the chair in which he was sitting, a satisfied smirk on his lips. 

“All right. Let’s go. I’m starved.” 

The restaurant was warm, cozy. It was located in downtown Bayfield, just off the main street, and Tessa found herself being swept into the arms of her family members one at a time, brother to brother, parents and Jordan’s future in-laws. Scott stood beside her, offering a charming smile and a handshake to each adult and a fist-bump to Tessa’s niece and Charlie’s nephews. 

There was something about watching Scott interact with the children as they all settled at the table; his eyes lit up, his smile seemed more genuine. He chattered with them briefly, catching Tessa’s eye as her niece prattled on to him about her most recent skating lesson. Eventually, the children became interested in an old jukebox tucked into the corner of the room and shrieked with laughter at the way they discovered they could manipulate the disks within. 

“So, Tessa,” Charlie’s mother addressed her from a few seats down, smiling kindly, “tell us about how you met Scott.” 

Tessa feigned a grin, met Scott’s eyes with all the affection she could muster. 

“Oh, we met at the gym,” she beamed, keeping his gaze. He smiled gently at her, his hand moved to cover hers on top of the table. She glanced down at his digits, watched as his thumb stroked the back of her hand. “He saw me from across the room. I was on the bike and-”

“And she couldn’t take her eyes off me,” Scott interrupted, giving her a demure smile. “I noticed she kept checking me out as I was doing squats. She thought she was being subtle, but she wasn’t.” 

This earned a small chuckle from the table. 

“Well, no,” Tessa nudged him with her foot beneath the table, “that’s not exactly how it happened.” She gave him a tight smile. Why the hell was he doing this? Okay, maybe he hadn’t had time to memorize the cheat sheet she’d written for him, but he sure as hell knew that she hadn’t written herself as some love-struck vixen. 

“Oh babe,” Scott slid an arm around her, pulling her and her chair closer to him. “Don’t be shy. You were so cute.” He turned his attention back to the crowd at the table, Tessa’s face already beginning to redden with the attention she suddenly found herself receiving. At the end of the table, she saw Jordan’s slender hand move to cover her mouth, hiding the astonished smirk on her face.

“Come on,” he spoke again, giving her an affectionate squeeze, “you should see this little heartbreaker when she flirts. Her face turns this adorable shade of red and she can barely make eye contact…” he turned to look at Tessa, feigning surprise, “Oh, look! Just like that!” 

Another round of laughter from the family, even Charlie, who now shared an impish grin with Jordan. She glared daggers at them for their betrayal. 

“We went bowling for our first date,” he continued, all eyes on him. “She couldn’t keep her hands off me the entire time. We almost got thrown out of the building, but it would have been worth it.” He winked at her, and she forced a sardonic smile onto her face.

More laughter; her own parents were amused, and Tessa waited for the floor to open up and swallow her whole. She could feel the beat of her heart, could feel the heat in her chest and cheeks. Still, she held the smile on her face as Charlie’s sister, Anna, spoke. 

“You two look so in love,” she mused dreamily. Scott glanced at Tessa once more, the corner of his lips turning into a soft smile. He ran his hand over her side, up her shoulder, squeezing. 

“It’s all just an act. I wouldn’t even be here if she weren’t paying me.” Scott let a wide grin spread over his face, and once more the table broke into laughter, even Jordan, whose face was now completely buried in her hands, her shoulders trembling as she giggled.

“No, but seriously,” he used his hand to brush a dark curl from her face, “Tessa is a godsend. Ever since the day she walked into my life, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. It’s almost like fate.” He leaned in, pressed a kiss to her temple as the others at the table cooed at his words. 

As the attention drifted from them and onto other topics of conversation, Tessa pressed herself closer to him, her mouth against his ear. 

“What the hell was that about?” She hissed. “That’s not what I wrote on the paper.”

She tucked his napkin onto his lap, turned his head and lowered his voice to speak to her. 

“What you wrote on the paper was boring and two-dimensional,” he spoke quietly to her, “I added character. They loved it. You should be thanking me.” 

“Thanking you?” She spat the words at him, “I should be choking you. You humiliated me.” 

He stared at her for a long moment, his dark eyes taking in her face. 

“Tess, you hired me to make this work. All you’ve talked about today is how important it is that this is believable. I did what you asked; I made them believe.”

He slid away from her, effectively ending the conversation. Tessa tried to focus on the evening, on enjoying her time with her family on the eve before she’d have to see Brad for the first time in three months, but Scott’s words came back to her again and again. She attempted to focus on the conversation, laughing and making an effort to flirt with Scott throughout the evening despite the fact that she wanted nothing more than to smack him. 

“So,” her mother leaned forward, catching Tessa’s eye when Scott excused himself to the washroom, “where did Scott come from? I didn’t even know he existed until last week.” 

Tessa glanced toward Jordan, their eyes meeting. 

“Mom, you know how much Tess works,” Jordan lowered her voice, addressing their mother. “She didn’t tell me either until I dragged the information out of her.” 

“Well, I know you’re busy, honey, but usually you tell me these things,” Kate leaned in to Tessa, “I’m just curious about him.” 

Tessa lowered her eyes, took a quiet breath. She hated lying to anyone, but deceiving her mother felt like a cardinal sin. She hated keeping secrets from her, but she couldn’t let this week become about her and Scott. Jordan had dreamed about this week since the first time Charlie had kissed her at eight years old. She wouldn’t dare overshadow that. 

“I know,” Tessa murmured, “I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Well don’t apologize,” Kate smiled at her, patted her hand, “He seems perfectly nice. All I want is for you to be happy, Tess. You are happy, aren’t you?” 

Tessa glanced at Jordan, who pressed her lips together into a thin smile. 

“Yeah,” Tessa replied quietly, nodded. “I’m happy, Mom.”

Scott guided her to the vehicle at the end of the evening, his fingers curling around hers. She smiled, leaned into him, played the part until they made it to the car and slipped inside. Once the doors were shut, she started the car, but didn’t speak. He tried to make casual conversation on the short drive to the cottage, but Tessa couldn’t focus on anything but her own breathing. In, out. In, out. She wanted to lash out at him, felt betrayed by his impromptu performance, no matter that it had seemed to sell the relationship to everyone at the table. 

He followed her inside and up the stairs to the loft bedroom. He hesitated, watching her as she disappeared into the washroom to remove her makeup. When she emerged, Scott had already pulled the blankets back, was working on preparing the right side of the bed. 

“What are you doing?” She asked simply, feeling naked in her plaid nightshirt. 

He looked up at her, brows furrowed. 

“Getting ready for bed,” he responded. She frowned at him. 

“The bed is mine. You can have the couch,” she gestured to the cream couch across the room, a blanket folded on its cushion. 

He looked toward the couch and back at her, his voice breaking in a childish whine. 

“I don’t want the couch.” 

“After that stunt at dinner, you’re lucky you’re not sleeping in the car,” she huffed, tugging the blankets on the other side of the bed back and slipping between the sheets. 

“Well why can’t we share the bed?” He asked, pouting. “It’s a king sized mattress.” 

“And that’s not enough distance to keep me from strangling you in your sleep, so couch it is,” she smirked at him. He watched her for a moment before grumbling something she couldn’t quite hear. Despite his complaints, he got to his feet and dragged himself across the room to the couch, collapsing on the soft cushions. 

She waited for him to cover himself before turning off the light, settling beneath the sheets and pulling the comforter up to her neck. She closed her eyes, tried to focus on the gentle hum of the heater. 

Across the room, Scott grunted in discomfort, shifted. 

Tessa tried to count sheep, tried to think about the firm mattress, the way she ached with physical and mental exhaustion. 

Scott coughed. 

Tessa turned, squeezed her eyes shut. She allowed her mind to float, thought about the cold outside the walls of the cottage, the way the wind blew snow flurries through the air as she was nestled warm in the bed.

Scott grumbled. 

Tessa sighed, felt the edges of sleep beginning to tug at her. She could feel its blissful fingers slipping into her brain, her muscles twitching as they relaxed, prepared for sleep. 

Scott groaned. 

The sound pulled her from her descent into rest and she sat up quickly, glaring at his dark form across the room. Wordlessly, she slipped from bed and switched on the light, mumbling angrily as she began to pull pillows from the head of the bed, arranging them in a line down the middle of the bed. 

On the couch, Scott sat up, eyed her. 

“What are you doing?” 

“I can’t sleep because you won’t shut up. I’m making a divider down the middle of the bed. You stay on your side, and I’ll stay on mine. If you cross the divider, you’re going back on the couch.” 

He watched her wordlessly, and when she was satisfied with the wall of pillows, she collapsed back into bed, turning her back to the divider. He hesitated for only a moment before climbing off the couch and making his way to the bed, slipping beneath the blankets. 

She felt the mattress shift beside her as he made himself comfortable. He sighed softly as he settled, tugged at the comforter. She gripped it in her fingers and pulled back on it, tucking it beneath her chin. 

She closed her eyes, tried once more to get to the brink of sleep. A few quiet, peaceful moments passed before Scott cleared his throat gently. 

“I played hockey,” he said suddenly, his voice quiet. 

“What?” Tessa snapped, lifted her head to peer at him. She couldn’t see him behind the wall of pillows, but could feel his presence beside her. She settled once more, facing him. 

“You asked me earlier if I played hockey, and I said no. But I did play. I played for ten years. I stopped when I was seventeen.” He was speaking so softly that she had to strain to hear him over the steady hum of the heater.

“Why would you lie about that?” She asked, feeling somehow betrayed by his falsehood despite the fact that this entire façade was based on deceit. 

“I was diagnosed with compartment syndrome when I was sixteen. I did everything the doctors told me to. I had the surgery. I did all of the physical therapy.” Tessa could hear his voice breaking as he spoke and wondered for a moment if he was crying. Her stomach tensed at the thought, terrified that she wouldn’t know how to comfort this man beside her. 

“I learned how to use my legs again,” he continued, “but I couldn’t skate anymore. The pain was unbearable.” She felt him still beside her. “I wanted to be a hockey player. That was my dream. But, you know, sometimes dreams don’t come true.” 

Tessa blinked into the darkness, thinking about his words. She remembered the way she had felt in Brad’s arms, the way she’d watched him with wide, unblinking eyes, believing that she’d found her soulmate. She remembered the way she’d dreamed of being his wife one day, how she’d fantasized about her belly swollen with the life of their child. She’d spent two years believing that her dream had come true. 

And one day, when she’d least expected it, that dream had shattered. 

She didn’t need to ask again why he hadn’t told her the truth. 

“I’m sorry,” was all she could think to say. 

“It’s all right,” he replied a moment later. 

“That’s another lie,” she pointed out. 

He laughed softly in the darkness.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “But, hey, I have to look on the bright side.” 

She was reminded of Jordan’s comment from earlier in the day: But look on the bright side! After this week, you’ll never have to see him again.

“What’s your bright side?” She asked, studying the wall of pillows that separated them. 

He was quiet for a moment, and then: 

“I mean, if I had become a professional hockey player, I may never have met you. I sure as hell wouldn’t be lying in bed with you, separated only by eight pillows and a crushing sense of shame that I’ve shared my biggest weakness with you.”

She giggled softly. A moment later, she allowed herself to lean into the wall of pillows, using her hand to push them down in order to see his face. In the darkness, she saw him turn his head to look at her. 

“Then I guess we’re even,” she smiled softly, “about the biggest weakness thing. Mine’s Brad.”

She saw the curve of a smile paint his lips. Her hand lingered on the pillow for another moment before she reached beyond the barrier, finding his hand and squeezing it gently. His fingers returned the gesture, but she withdrew her touch quickly, tucking it beneath her head. 

“Hey,” he said, after she’d disappeared behind the pillow wall once more. She propped herself up once more, meeting his eyes in the darkness. 

“Yeah?” 

“You crossed the divider,” he grinned at her. “One more time and you’ll end up on the couch.” 

She rolled her eyes at him, sighed heavily as she settled back against the mattress. She heard him shift onto his side and away from her, and when she turned her face into her pillow, she realized she was smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! If you're in the mood for a bit of a Halloween scare, check out my horror one-shot Stay With Me.


	6. Tessa Is All Twisted Up (And Not Just Because of Twister)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kind of having fun, and I think I might like to do more of these rom-com AUs in the future. I'm really enjoying it. Thank you again to everyone who is reading and letting me know what you think. I truly appreciate every comment, kudos, and message. 
> 
> And, as usual, thank you to the person who never gets the credit she deserves for putting up with my random questions at all hours of the day as well as my many, many other eccentricities. @virtuevirtuee, I could never thank you enough, but thank you... for everything.

Tessa woke up two hours earlier than necessary the next morning in order to dig through the clothes she’d brought with her, desperate to find something to make her look beautiful, assured, confident; all the things she hadn’t felt in months. 

She perched on the vanity before the mirror in the washroom, her legs tucked beneath her on the sink as she’d applied her makeup. Scott had wandered in sometime around nine o’clock, had seen her on the sink and padded over to her in his bare feet and pajama pants. She realized, for the first time, that he wasn’t wearing a shirt and tried to remember if he’d had one on when he’d climbed into bed the night before.

She met his eyes in the reflection as she lowered the mascara wand, slipping it back into the tube of makeup. He watched her quietly, tilted his head. She waited for him to say something sarcastic, thought of the way they had teased each other last night over the wall of pillows between them. A small smile slipped over his face. 

“You look really nice,” he nodded, turned his back to her as he moved across the room. She watched him retreat, looked down into her lap at the makeup splayed around her before she realized he was tugging the front of his pants down in front of the toilet. She narrowed her gaze. _No, he wouldn’t-_

She heard the stream of urine begin, watching his back muscles ripple as he stretched. 

“Oh come on, Scott,” Tessa pushed herself off the sink, shaking her head as she moved back into the bedroom. “A little bit of privacy never hurt anyone.” 

She pulled the washroom door closed behind her, moved back to the bed in order to finalize her outfit choice. She finally decided on a yellow cashmere sweater and a pair of skinny jeans, dressing before perching on the edge of the bed and looking up at Scott as he emerged from the washroom. To his credit, he looked slightly embarrassed. 

“Hey, sorry. I just… you know, most of the time when women pay for the full week they want the full experience. You know, good, bad, ugly. Everything in between.” 

“Yeah, I’m not really into that.” 

Tessa watched him as he nodded and then settled onto the bed beside her. 

“Noted.” They sat in silence for a moment, and she realized, at some point in the past few minutes, he’d slipped into a plain black t-shirt. She wondered why. “So, how are you feeling?” 

“About what?” She blinked at him. “About the fact that my only sister is getting married in four days? Maybe about the idea that I spent last night sleeping next to someone who is essentially a perfect stranger? Or, you know, the fact that I’m seeing the man who devastated me in an hour?” 

Scott offered her a small, sympathetic smile. 

“That last thing.” 

Tessa sighed, hands falling into her lap, her eyes studying the small tears in her designer jeans.

“I’m nervous. Terrified, actually.” She glanced up at him. “What if he’s with that woman? What am I supposed to do?” 

Scott reached for her hand, and to her own surprise, she allowed him to take it. She watched quietly as he used his thumb to stroke her knuckles, his fingers feeling warm and safe. 

“You’re going to keep your chin up, straighten your shoulders, and look both of them in the eye. And then, no matter how badly you feel like dying, you’re going to spend the rest of the week showing him exactly what he’s missed out on by losing you.” 

His voice was strong, firm. He watched her with an intense gaze, his jaw clenching as she studied him. 

“What’s this?” She asked softly after a moment, gently reaching up to touch his jawline. The stubble had started to grow again overnight, and the prickly growth tickled her fingertips. 

“What’s what?” He asked, releasing her hand and running his own fingers over the muscle of his jaw. “What are you talking about?” 

“Your jaw here,” she grinned, “when you were speaking just now, it clenched up. I saw that yesterday, too. Why do you do that?” 

“Oh,” his voice sounded faraway, “It’s just a reaction. It’s just something that happens when I get defensive. Most women think it’s sexy.” He sounded a little hurt with the last sentence, and she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. 

“Oh, most women do, eh? Why are you getting defensive, anyway?” 

“I’m not defensive,” he responded a little too quickly, “I just said it’s something that happens when I get defensive. But I’m not… it doesn’t always mean I’m defensive.” 

Tessa narrowed her eyes at him playfully. 

“Oh, okay. So it’s just a coincidence, then?” 

“Purely coincidental,” he nodded uselessly, “and no one’s ever called me out on it, so thanks for that.” 

He rose from the bed as Tessa laughed. As he moved toward the closet to pull out his own clothes, she caught his hand, held it for only as long as it took him to turn to meet her eyes once more. 

“Thank you, by the way,” she nodded. “And you’re right. I’m going to hold my head high. I’m not going to let him see how badly he hurt me. It’s his loss, right?” 

She didn’t feel sure of herself as she said the words, but Scott’s smile gave her the faith she needed. 

“That’s right,” he nodded. “His loss. Do you believe that?” 

Tessa swallowed, studied the dark pool his eyes. 

“Yeah, I think so.” 

It was the first time she’d knowingly lied to him. 

As they drove to the restaurant for brunch, Tessa was quiet. She was focused on the memory of Brad’s face; the words she’d say to him to bring him to his knees. She wondered if he’d look the same. Had he grown a beard since she’d seen him last? She hoped not. She’d always loved the smoothness of his face, and-

No. She couldn’t do this. She wouldn’t allow herself to relive the past in this way, remembering the things she’d adored about him before he’d turned her world upside down. She couldn’t let herself reflect on the way things had been, the way things could have been if only he hadn’t found comfort in the arms of another woman. It wasn’t fair to herself. She’d spent the past two weeks preparing herself to get over him once and for all, not to fall for him again on sight. 

As they were ushered into the restaurant and Tessa was once more swept into a round of hugs by the wedding party, she kept an eye out for that familiar head of light brown hair, the eyes she’d spent two years looking into. But by the time they sat down for brunch, Brad hadn’t appeared. 

Jordan caught her eye once, sent her a sympathetic smile along with a slight shrug of her shoulders. Still, she remained on guard, eyes darting around the crowd, feeling Scott’s hand on the upper part of her back. By the time the check had arrived and Brad hadn’t, Tessa allowed herself a breath of fortified relief. He hadn’t shown. She’d spent so many hours this morning lamenting over her makeup, her hair, her choice of clothing, and he hadn’t fucking shown. 

As Scott led her from the restaurant to the car, he took her elbow gently. 

“I take it Brad never showed?” 

She shook her head, allowed him to guide her. 

“No. You’d know it if he had.” 

There were plans to reconvene for dinner that evening; Jordan bid Tessa goodbye with a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. She and Charlie had decided to take their skates down to the frozen pond for a bit, had asked Tessa if she and Scott would be interested in joining them. Tessa considered it, was even encouraged by Scott, who admitted it would be nice to be on the ice for a while, but ultimately, she declined. She’d spent so much time prepping herself for this morning only for Brad not to show his face. It was both a huge relief and a disappointment. Her body was heavy with exhaustion.

When she and Scott got back to the cottage, Tessa dragged herself to the couch, sinking into the soft cushions. Scott disappeared into the closet for a moment, emerging with an arm full of boxes and a grin on his face. 

“Oh, Tess, I hit the jackpot.” 

She looked at him from her place on the couch, confused. 

“What did you find?” 

He placed the boxes on the bed, showing them to her one at a time, the boyish grin never leaving his face. 

“Board games! Monopoly… Life…” 

“Board games?” She laughed, “Women pay six thousand dollars a week for your company and you get this excited over board games?”

Scott ignored her, tilted the last game up for her to see. 

“Twister!” 

Despite herself, she smiled, managed to pull her legs up beneath her despite her tight jeans. 

“Twister? What is this, a grade seven co-ed party? Are you hiding a bottle of your dad’s vodka in your pocket?” She teased him good-naturedly. 

Scott sighed dramatically, sank onto the bed. 

“Okay, fine. But you’re on vacation, right? I mean, it’s your sister’s wedding, but you’re out of town. We’re at a cottage on a lake. And to be honest, I’m still wondering why there are board games in a cottage that’s called Lover’s Retreat, but, hey, to each their own.” He sat the Twister box on his lap, studied it. “I mean I guess you could turn this into strip Twister.”

Tessa flushed at the words alone, watching him as he contemplated his new idea. She wondered how that would work; each of them spinning, taking their turn, slipping off an article of clothing. The memory of his body flashed in her mind once more. 

“Okay, so no board games,” Scott continued, “what about watching a movie? We haven’t even turned on the television. I don’t know about you, but I love action movies. Or maybe we could find a good rom-com; as if you aren’t already living one right now.” He winked at her. 

Tessa allowed herself to sink further into the cushions. She hadn’t even tried to watch a romantic comedy since she and Brad had split. Each leading male reminded her of him, even if his eyes weren’t the same shade, his hair wasn’t the same cut. It was all Brad, all the time. Seeing people fall in love on the screen made her feel nauseous; real life didn’t work that way. It wasn’t full of happiness and romance. As Scott had said just last night: sometimes dreams don’t come true. 

And really, what choice did you have at that point? What choice had Scott had? He’d done the same thing as Tessa, he’d moved on and spent his days imagining what could have been if only he hadn’t pushed so hard, if only he’d made different decisions. And Tessa spent her time wondering what it might be like if she hadn’t been such a love-sick fool. 

“No, thanks,” she shook her head. “I’d rather not, if that’s okay.” 

He frowned at her, but then a playful smirk turned up his lips. 

“Well, you know we haven’t really discussed any of those extras I mentioned. We could always-”

“Okay!” Tessa slid off the couch and onto the floor, tucking her feet beneath her and scowling up at him. “Twister, it is!”

A cheerful smile replaced the smirk and he joined her on the floor, placing the box between them and lifting the lid. Tessa watched as he removed the spinner and folded mat, laying it out on the floor beside them before turning to her. 

“You first,” he offered happily. 

“What? No,” she resisted, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re the one who wanted to play. You go first.” 

He considered her words for a moment before shrugging and using his finger to flick the spinner. They both watched the small black arrow turn in circles until it landed in the upper right quadrant of the square.

“Right hand red,” Scott said aloud, as if Tessa herself couldn’t see the board. She looked up at him, shook her head. “That’s easy enough.” 

He leaned forward, placed his hand on a red circle and then swiveled his head back to Tessa. 

“Your turn, beautiful.” 

Tessa resisted the urge to roll her eyes and then did it anyway before she flicked the spinner. Her eyes followed the marker until it slowed to a stop. 

_Right foot yellow._

Scott grinned. 

Tessa heaved a sigh, pushing herself from her spot on the carpet and onto the polka-dotted mat. She chose the spot furthest away from him, placing her foot on the yellow spot before glaring down at him. 

With his other hand, Scott spun the spinner. 

_Left foot green._

Keeping his right hand planted firmly on a red circle, he moved his left leg across the board, effectively placing him in a crouch. 

Tessa bent, used her hand to spin once more. 

_Left foot red._

She moved her foot, stood with her legs in a power stance over Scott. 

“Now that’s a sight I could get used to,” he grinned up at her. She felt herself flush beneath her yellow sweater, turned her face away from him to disguise the blush in her cheeks. 

“Shut up and take your turn,” she hissed at him, but she could already hear the malice leaving her voice. 

He chuckled, spun. 

_Right foot blue._

Scott blinked at the spinner before glancing back at the mat. He was positioned in such a way that the most convenient blue spot would consist of him tucking his right foot behind his body, his hips thrust forward. Tessa realized it at the same time he did, and she barked out a laugh. 

“Good luck with that.” 

Scott groaned, looked up at her before completing his move. When he was settled firmly in place, he shot her a smug grin. 

The self-satisfied look on his face inspired her to lean forward, flick the spinner with her fingers. Suddenly, without even realizing it, she’d become invested in winning this game. 

_Left hand blue._

She moved without considering the consequences of her actions; bending at the waist and placing her left hand on a blue dot left her uncomfortably close to his contorted body, her face so close to his outstretched leg that she could practically feel the warmth radiating from beneath his clothes. 

She expected him to laugh or make a crude comment, but he was surprisingly quiet at the new development. Tessa sucked in her breath quietly, her right hand still helping to support her weight by pressing against the carpet. 

Somehow, Scott managed to turn himself enough to spin once more. 

_Left hand yellow._

This turn of events gave Scott the opportunity to bring himself forward, his left hand landing on a yellow dot. He twisted his body to hover over the board, both hands and feet now occupying a spot. The proximity of his head replaced his leg, and Tessa took a deep breath, inhaling the sandalwood smell of his shampoo. His dark hair was shiny, full, the ends curling just slightly at the base of his neck. She found herself with an overwhelming desire to remove her right hand from where it currently rested on the carpet and brush it through his hair, watch those beautiful dark curls fall around her fingers. 

When she lifted her hand to do so, without really thinking about it, instead of sliding into Scott’s dark curls, she flicked the spinner again. 

_Right hand yellow._

She knew before she moved how this would end; her chest pressed against his back, his head dangerously close to the apex of her thighs. Still, she couldn’t lose now. She’d fought him so hard on this, had thrown such a fit about playing Twister that at this moment, it meant more to her that she won this game than it did to force Brad to clean up the mess he’d left behind. 

Taking her chances and moving to the appropriate spot, she found herself in the inevitable position. There was no choice but to rest gently against him, her head on his upper back. She held her breath, listened to his heart as it pounded in his chest. She knew she should move, she could already feel her socked feet slipping out beneath her, but damnit she was going to go down with this ship. 

Her weight wasn’t much on his sturdy frame, his biceps were taut with muscles, but the sudden motion of her foot slipping out beneath her provided all the force needed to send him to the floor as well. As he fell, he turned, and when he landed, it was on his back. Tessa went down with him, her petite frame colliding with his chest as she landed. 

They hadn’t fallen more than eight inches, but at the sudden impact with the floor, Tessa broke into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. She used her hands to cover her face in an attempt to stifle her hysterics, but it was too late. Scott began to laugh too, both of them clutching at their stomachs as they keeled. Tessa was still resting against his chest, trying to push herself off but too overcome with her giggles to be able to exert the necessary force. Instead, her hand found his chest and she fell against him once more. 

When they were finally able to catch their breaths moments later, she looked up at him, tears of laughter blurring her vision and streaking her cheeks. He chuckled once more, used his thumb to wipe the stream of tears away. She watched his hand move before he brushed her dark hair behind her ear. 

“You know, technically,” she murmured, her voice hoarse with laughter, “you hit the ground first, so I won.” 

“Oh yeah?” He asked, looking down at her, his mouth so impossibly close to hers. “Is that the way you see it?” 

Her lips parted, her heart racing in her chest. She could feel each beat, could practically feel the crimson rising in her cheeks. 

“Yeah,” she whispered, “it is.” 

“Well,” he swallowed, and she could feel his breath on her skin. “The way I see it is that you slipped, which in turn brought me down. So technically, you lose.” 

Tessa grinned up at him breathlessly. 

“Call it a draw, then,” she suggested. 

He narrowed his gaze at her, shook his head slowly. 

“I don’t think so. I’m clearly the winner here.” 

“Oh?” Tessa arched an eyebrow at him, keeping his gaze. “And why do you say that?” 

“Because,” he breathed after a moment, moved his face closer to her, his breath tickling the shell of her ear as he spoke to her softly, “you’re so goddamn beautiful and I…” he paused, met her eyes. She watched him silently, feeling the breath grow heavy in her chest. Jesus, this was happening. She was so close. Would he kiss her? And if he did, what did that mean? Was this part of his escort act? Was kissing extra? Would Tessa even have enough money to pay for this?

She studied his face, looking into his eyes. He was so desperately close to her that closing the gap between their lips would take less than two inches, and she suddenly wanted that so badly it was all she could think about. 

But then, Scott blinked. She watched, and it was as if the spell between them had been broken. He cleared his throat softly, sat back. 

“And I got to see you bend in ways I’ve only imagined up to this point,” he smirked, the softness on his face replaced with smugness. “So, I won.” 

Tessa released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Without waiting for a response from her, Scott pushed himself off the floor and walked calmly into the washroom, closing the door behind him. There was a moment of silence between them before the shower turned on. 

Tessa fell back against the carpet breathlessly.

They spent the next few hours effectively avoiding the other. Tessa worked on her laptop, Scott watched hockey highlights on television. Tessa tucked herself into a chair with a book, Scott occupied himself in the small kitchenette downstairs. 

Around two o’clock, he came up the stairs holding two plates and two bottles of water. He offered one to her, and she took it. He’d made sandwiches, and they ate together in a peaceful quiet. When they finished, he collected the plates and returned them to the kitchen. Tessa watched him, hoped he might come back up to the loft, but he remained downstairs, seemingly determined to give her some space. 

By the time they prepared to leave for dinner, Tessa had almost convinced herself that Brad wouldn’t show. Maybe Jordan had misunderstood him, she rationalized. Maybe he’d said that he wished he’d been able to attend the wedding, but wouldn’t be able to make it. Maybe Tessa had spent a hefty portion of her savings account on an escort for no reason. Maybe they could laugh about it later. 

But as she and Scott made their way into the restaurant that evening, she realized she’d been mistaken. As soon as she saw him, it felt as if the world had crumbled beneath her feet. Jesus, he looked good. He looked happy. His light brown hair was swept back from his face, his chin clean shaven. He looked just as she had always remembered him, and why wouldn’t he? They’d only been apart for three months. It had only felt like one hundred years. 

Scott followed her gaze, saw Brad at the same time the other man noticed Tessa. He and Tessa shared a look, and it could only have lasted five seconds, but by the time she forced herself to look away from him, she felt like she’d aged a decade. When she looked back, desperate to see him once more, he was gone. 

She turned in circles, searching for him. Where could he have gone? She felt Scott’s hand at the base of her back as he began to guide her toward the table, but when she turned, there he was. 

Her breath escaped her in a surprised gasp, Scott’s sturdy hand still supporting her lower back. She stared at Brad, thinking of everything she’d wanted to say to him for so long. She’d wanted to tell him how he’d hurt her, how he’d betrayed everything they’d had. She wanted to tell him that she was better off without him. But God, looking at him now, she couldn’t remember any of those well-rehearsed lines. 

“Tess,” he spoke her name, and it was just as she’d remembered. She’d waited so long to hear her name fall from his lips once more. She’d both dreaded and anticipated it; had known it would be a moment of unbearable pain and bliss. “Hey.”

She tried to make her lips move to say something witty or biting, but nothing escaped save a quiet response. 

“Hi.”

His eyes never left her face, studied her as if she were the rarest gem in the world. She wanted to get lost in them once more, to fall into his arms and have things go back to the way they’d been before she’d ever seen that blonde woman astride him. 

The reminder caused her stomach to clench into a painful knot. 

“How’ve you been?” He asked, still watching her. 

Tessa blinked at him. _Miserable_, she wanted to say. _Depressed. Lonely. Mourning the loss of the only man I’ve ever loved because you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants._

“I’m fine,” she said instead. “And you?” 

Brad ducked his head, his dark eyes so sad that Tessa’s heart instantly ached for him. 

“I’ve been better,” he admitted after a moment, glancing back up to her. “But you… God, Tess, you’re so beautiful. You’re just as radiant as I remember you.” 

His words made her flush, and she tilted her face away from him so as to prevent him from seeing the tears that stung her eyes. Scott’s fingers tensed on her lower back, and as she raised her eyes to attempt to say any of the dozens of hurtful things she’d prepared for this exact scenario, Brad’s hand reached out, his fingers gently brushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear. 

At his touch, she nearly wept. She’d missed him, so much. She hated how it had ended, had hated him, but now, seeing him like this, so vulnerable and kind, it was almost as if nothing had changed. In the deepest parts of her mind, she knew this wasn’t right. She knew he would hurt her again, but her heart yearned for his love so desperately that she was nearly willing to forget his past transgressions. 

Scott cleared his throat beside her, breaking her reverie, and she and Brad both glanced up at him. Scott’s dark eyes were watching her, waiting. Tessa straightened, smiled tightly. 

“Brad, this is my…” _My what? My fake boyfriend? My escort? The man I hired to make you jealous?_ “My… Scott.” 

She could see the pain in Brad’s face as he absorbed her words. Instantly, she wanted to withdraw them. Anything to keep that hurt from his face. All she could think of was lying in bed beside him as he peppered soft kisses over her fair skin. She wanted that back so badly that she could practically taste it. 

“I mean, he’s… he’s not mine,” Tessa stuttered, shaking her head, “I’m here with him, but he’s not mine, he’s just…” 

Brad smiled down at her, affection curling the ends of his lips. Scott shifted beside her and his eyes were drawn to the man beside her. 

“Well, Scott,” Brad offered his hand to him, “It’s nice to meet you.” 

Tessa watched as Scott offered his hand, blinking at him. 

“Pleasure.” His voice was dry, his fingers gripping Brad’s hand tightly. She could see the anger in Scott’s eyes despite his attempt to remain stoic. 

Brad nodded before turning his eyes back to Tessa. 

Tessa felt Scott’s hand snake around her hip, felt his touch become more secure. His fingers seemed to grip her protectively, almost as if he were predicting her attempt to slip from his grasp. 

Brad studied her for a long, quiet moment, his eyes crinkling up in the corners as he smiled at her. 

“I’ve missed you, my darling,” his voice came, quiet and soft, and Tessa released a breath, inching away from Scott and closer to Brad without even realizing it. 

She’d waited months to hear those words, had wanted desperately to see his face and confirm that his life had been as miserable without her as hers had without him. 

“I’ve miss-”

Tessa began, but Scott stepped forward, bringing them side-by-side once more. 

“So, Brad,” he cleared his throat, “did you bring a date with you this week?” 

Tessa glanced toward Scott desperately, narrowing her eyes. _No. Why would he bring this up?_ Her heart seized in her chest. She glared at Scott, but he continued to look toward Brad, not meeting her eyes. 

“Scott…” she warned him in a hush. 

“Uh,” Brad shook his head, glanced back and forth between Scott and Tessa. “No. I haven’t really had any serious relationships since Tess left me.” He focused on Tessa once more, his fingers reaching out for her hand. “It’s been very difficult. I haven’t seen anyone.” 

Initially, Tessa could feel a smile curving her lips. He hadn’t seen anyone either. She’d spent months wondering about that blonde woman, but he-

“Wait,” she blinked, tilted her head at him, “What?” She narrowed her eyes. “What about the blonde woman?” 

Brad blinked, shook his head. 

“What blonde woman, doll?” His hand still reached for hers, and she glanced down at it before taking a step away from him. 

“The blonde woman you cheated on me with,” she laughed dryly. Saying the words hurt more than she’d intended them to; of course she’d spent the majority of the past few months thinking them, but hearing them spoken aloud was another thing entirely. 

Brad shook his head once more, his eyebrows furrowing to betray his confusion. 

“Christ, Tess, I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

Tessa kept her gaze focused on Brad, but beside her, she heard Scott mutter the word softly. 

“Jesus.”

She glanced at him before looking back to Brad. 

“What do you mean?” She asked, her voice breaking. She blinked the tears away from her eyes, shook Scott’s hand away when he reached to touch her. “How can you not-”

The realization hit her at once. She’d spent the last three months tormenting herself over the loss of him, over the sight of him and the blonde woman in his bed. She’d sobbed, spent so many nights wailing into the darkness of her bedroom over the memory that she’d feared she was losing her mind. And Brad hadn’t even remembered the name of the woman. He hadn’t bothered to, because-

“There was more than one woman,” she breathed the words into the air, hearing Scott’s quiet sigh of resignation beside her. “Oh my God.” 

She glared at Brad, fought the tears that threatened to spill. 

“How many were there?” She demanded, her voice rising. She was beginning to draw the attention of the diners nearest them, two older women who glanced in her direction. 

“Tess,” Scott said her name gently, attempting to de-escalate the situation. “Let’s-”

“No,” she glanced at Scott, moved beyond his grasp, but her ire was focused solely on Brad. “I deserve to know how many women he fucked when we were together!”

More people turned to watch the scene, including Jordan, who was seated at the head of the nearby table. Tessa ignored their pitiable stares, continued to advance on Brad, who looked desperately at Scott for help. Scott shook his head, stepped away from him. 

“I…I don’t know,” Brad muttered, shaking his head, “But it’s not-”

“Then give me a ballpark estimate,” Tessa shrugged, her heart racing in her chest. “You have to have some idea. How many? Two, three? Ten?” 

“Tess, don’t do this,” Brad begged, his voice low, pleading. “Please.” 

“Don’t do what?” She challenged him, her rage leaving her shaking, “Don’t call you out like the cheating asshole you are?” 

Brad sighed, took a step closer to her. 

“Tess, that’s over. That’s the past. That doesn’t matter anymore, doll, but we have another chance now, yeah?” He moved slowly. She kept her eyes on him but could focus on nothing more than the pounding of her heart. She could hear nothing but the blood rushing through her veins, could feel only the warmth of her skin as the indignation built inside her. 

In painstakingly slow motion, she saw him dip his head, watched as he moved to slide his arm around her. His lips were on hers before she realized what was happening, and as she saw Scott step forward behind her, she pushed herself away from Brad. Before she could stop or even consider the situation in which she currently found herself, she curled her fingers into a fist, pulled it back, and punched him squarely in the face. 

“I’m not your fucking doll,” she spat the words at him, as the onlookers gasped and clucked their tongues. Jordan shrieked her name. Brad’s hands immediately went to cover his face, blood pouring from between his fingers as he clutched his nose. Scott moved to take her arm but she tore away from him, her feet carrying her through the crowded restaurant.

She moved with a purpose that even she couldn’t identify, but she pushed her way into the private washroom and slid the lock into the catch behind her. She collapsed on the floor, her back to the door, feeling the tremendous pain in her hand for the first time.

She let out an anguished sob, clutched her fist to her and pulled her knees to her chest. She wept until she couldn’t breathe, until her face was swollen and the heartbeat in her fist had dulled. She tried to straighten her fingers, wincing at the dull ache that accompanied the movement.

Jordan came by a few moments later, tapping her fingers at the door and calling her sister’s name. 

“Tess? Are you okay?” She could hear her sister’s muffled voice. “Brad’s gone. I think you broke his nose.”

It was hard to tell through the wooden door, but Tessa wondered if she sensed a hint of annoyance mixed with the pride in Jordan’s voice. 

“Good,” Tessa answered after a moment, sniffling. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “Hey, Jord?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Could you get me some ice for my hand?” 

She heard Jordan sigh softly on the other side before she patted the door. 

“Yeah. Be right back.” 

She listened as the sound of Jordan’s high heels carried her away. Tessa sat sniveling on the floor, watching the dark purple bruise as it colored her knuckles. 

A few moments later, another tap at the door. Tessa slid away from the door, stood and used her uninjured hand to unlock it before pulling it open. 

She’d expected to see her sister, but Scott stood before her, an ice pack in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. 

He smiled softly, shook both of the items at her. 

“You have a hell of a left hook,” he grinned. “I’ve got your ice. And I brought wine as well, because…” he paused, studied her tear-soaked face, then shook his head. “I’ve been trying to think of something clever to say, but fuck it. I brought wine because if anybody deserves to get wasted tonight, it’s you.”

Tessa tried to laugh, but she couldn’t find it within herself. Instead, she shook her head as he attempted to hand her the items. She glanced down at her feet, then back up at him. 

“I can’t… I’ll have to hold the ice on with my right hand. I can’t hold the bottle.” 

Scott looked down at the bottle and then up at her. 

“Oh. Well, what can I do?” 

Tessa pushed the washroom door open with her hip, pressed her back against it. 

“I guess you’ll have to hold it for us, eh?” 

Scott smirked, slid into the washroom behind her and stood watching as she locked the door.

Tessa turned to him, a tired smile pressing across her lips. 

“Be honest with me,” she settled onto the floor beside him, took the ice pack from him and pressed it gingerly to her swollen knuckles. “Do you think I’m a crazy bitch?” 

Scott considered her, shrugged. 

“A bitch? No. Crazy? The jury’s still out on that one.” He grinned at her. “But I have to admit, I’m impressed. I’ve seen a lot of fights in hockey and very few punches break the nose that cleanly. Have you ever considered playing?” 

Tessa laughed, clutched her hand to her chest as she tossed her head back. Her dark hair cascaded around her shoulders. 

“No,” she teased, “but maybe you could teach me sometime.”

Scott made a quiet, amused noise and offered her the bottle of wine. When she nodded her acceptance, he put the bottle to her lips, tipping it gently. 

“Deal,” he nodded, “as long as you don't use that left hook on me.” 

She swallowed, coughed, and laughed again. 

“I don’t think I’m going to be using it for much of anything for a while,” she looked sadly down at her hand. “Jordan’s going to kill me.” 

Scott settled against the door beside her, shrugging. 

“I don’t think so. I don’t think anyone would argue that he didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry, by the way.” He was quiet for a long moment, and then spoke once more. “And that’s an apology for my gender, too. Men suck.” 

Tessa gestured at the bottle of wine again and he tilted it, pouring some of the liquid into her mouth. She nudged him playfully with her shoulder, suddenly thankful beyond words for his presence. 

“Well, not all of them,” she met his eyes, her lips curling into a weak smile.

Scott feigned rolling his eyes. 

“Don’t get all emotional on me, okay?” He teased. Tessa wrinkled her nose playfully. 

“Why not? Does that cost extra?” She murmured, resting her head on his shoulder. He leaned his head against hers. She listened for a moment to his gentle breathing. 

“For you?” He asked, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “Free of charge.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you might have guessed, I'm taking some liberties with this story (i.e. not taking the movie scene-for-scene at all times). I promise you'll still get your Sway scene.


	7. Tessa Breaks Down (And So Does the Pillow Wall)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very dialogue heavy, and we're starting to heat up! There's also some mention of pain pills, in case that's a trigger. Otherwise, enjoy!

“Okay, easy now,” Scott guided Tessa by her right arm as they moved from the stairs to the loft bedroom. “Come on. We’re almost there.” 

Tessa focused on her steps, her head spinning with the effort it took. She could feel Scott’s arm around her as he helped her slide onto the bed, pulling the blankets back to allow her to slip between the sheets. 

“Thanks…” she heard her voice, but it sounded far away. She blinked up at him, laid back against the down pillows. 

“Yeah, no problem,” Scott moved one of the pillows from the wall that divided the bed in half, tucking it beneath her left hand and gingerly propping it up. At Tessa’s low groan, Scott lowered himself onto the bed beside her, studying her elevated hand. “How’s it feeling? Are you in a lot of pain?” 

Tessa nodded, closed her eyes, turned into the pillow. Her whimper of discomfort caused him to sigh. 

“Can I please have another pill?” She turned her face to him, “It’s throbbing again.”

“Afraid not,” he shook his head, “you heard the nurse, Tess. You’re lucky the doctor was willing to give you anything at all after he found out you’d been drinking beforehand.” 

“Drinking the wine you brought me,” she mumbled, “and I didn’t even drink that much!” Even Tessa could hear the slight slur in her voice, knew from the way that her head felt light and her body felt heavy that the pain medication had already begun to take effect. 

“Yes, because I took the bottle away once I realized your hand wouldn’t stop swelling,” he noted. “If you’d drank much more, you’d be settling for Tylenol right now, so be happy with the very miniscule amount of painkillers currently coursing through your system.” 

Tessa felt the corners of her lips turning down into a frown, frustrated tears burning her eyes. 

“But it hurts,” she drew the last word out, “why do you want to see me suffer?” 

Scott laughed softly, shook his head. 

“Because I’d rather see you in a little pain than find you dead tomorrow morning. How’s that sound?” He smiled at her, and despite the pain that pulsed in her hand, she felt herself beginning to respond to him. God, he was handsome. And, dare she say, he was even more good-looking when he was slightly unkempt? He’d tugged at the tie he’d knotted earlier in the evening and it now hung loose around the collar of his shirt, lying flat against his toned torso. 

Tessa pouted, pushing her lower lip out and making eye contact with him. 

“Please, Scott? It really hurts.” 

“Yeah, I’m sure it does, Tess, but I’m an escort, not a doctor.” He gestured to the wide wall of windows, beyond which fat snowflakes had begun swirling to the ground. “And if you have a bad reaction in this weather, I don’t even know if I could get you to the hospital in time to save your life, so…” he rattled the bottle of pain pills before tucking them into his back pocket. “You’re just gonna have to grin and bear it.” 

Tessa let out an anguished sob, pressed herself back against the pillows. Scott leaned in, picked up a pillow and prepared to tuck it beneath her head when she pulled it from his grasp with her right hand and tossed it across the room. 

“I don’t want the stupid pillow!” Her voice broke, tears burning her eyes. Scott blinked at her, sighed. 

“See? The doctor warned us about these behavior changes. You don’t need another pill, Tess, and you’re not getting it. Look, I’ll do what I can to help you feel better, but that stops at helping you overdose.” His eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Is there anything else you need? Water? Want me to turn the TV on for you? I don’t-” 

There was a knock at the door downstairs, and both he and Tessa glanced toward it. Scott patted her foot, offered her a tiny, reluctant smile. 

“I’ll be right back.” 

Tessa nodded, watched as he disappeared down the stairs. She listened as the door opened, immediately recognized Jordan’s voice. 

“Hey,” she could imagine Jordan stepping inside, wrapping her slender arms around herself to warn off the cold. “How is she? What did the doctor say?” 

Tessa let her eyes move to the ceiling, listening as Scott replied to her quietly. 

“Well, she managed to fracture her hand. The doctor put her hand in a splint and she’ll have to wear it for about three weeks. We asked for one that matched her maid of honor dress, but, sadly, they only had black.” She heard him pause briefly, “I offered to glue some fake flowers onto it. She did not think that was funny.” 

She heard Jordan’s laughter ripple through the air, the sound clear and mellifluous. Tessa found herself growing agitated at the sound, clenching her jaw at the idea of Jordan and Scott discussing her. She could imagine her sister’s sleek brunette hair falling against her shoulders, the way her perfect nose scrunched up when she laughed. She thought of Scott, his hand sweeping through his dark hair, the way his eyes sparkled when he was amused. 

Of course it was irrational. Jordan didn’t want Scott. She was getting married in four days. But did Scott want her? He hadn't seemed overly intrigued by her older sister, but it was Jordan, and Jordan was… Jordan. Who wouldn’t want her? 

There was a low murmur from him and then more of the tinkling laughter before she heard her sister speak again. 

“Is she upstairs?” 

“Yeah,” Scott responded, “go on up. I, uh…” she heard him pause, “I have to tell you, though. The doctor gave her some pain medicine at the hospital. She’s reached her limit and insists I’m torturing her by withholding it from her. She’s… a little testy. I don’t know if you know this about your sister, but she’s a lightweight.” 

Jordan laughed again, the sound growing closer as she ascended the stairs. 

“Believe me,” her words echoed down to him, “I know.” 

Tessa watched as Jordan’s dark head appeared at the top of the stairs, felt herself glaring as her sister came fully into view. 

Jordan was still wearing her coat, her nose and cheeks rosy from the biting cold outside. As she smiled at Tessa, she began to pull the gloves off her hands, tucking them into the pockets of her heavy parka. 

“Hey, baby sis,” she moved toward the bed, perched elegantly on the edge of it. “How are you feeling?”

Tessa studied her with dark eyes, shrugging her slim shoulders. Immediately, she thought of Brad’s words from earlier in the evening. 

“I’ve been better,” she murmured. Jordan watched her quietly for a moment. “I’m in a lot of pain and Scott won’t give me any medicine.” She spoke the last few words louder, frowning as she heard Scott chuckle from the lower floor.

“You know you have to be careful with that,” Jordan reached out, touched her foot beneath the blanket. “I’m glad he’s here to watch over you. Otherwise you’d be sharing that bed with me tonight.” Jordan smirked at her, glanced at the black splint on Tessa’s hand. Jordan reached out, tenderly tracing her fingertips over the protective brace. “So… do you want to tell me exactly what happened?” 

Tessa blinked at her, felt herself shaking her head. 

“Nope.” 

Tessa could hear the resentment in her own voice, could feel the irrational anger building within her at her sister’s presence. 

“Okay,” Jordan sighed after a moment, “listen. I’m not saying he didn’t deserve it, but did you really have to punch him in front of my entire wedding party? Charlie’s mom is super sensitive to blood, and when she saw it…” Jordan lowered her gaze. Tessa could hear the tension in her voice. “It really upset her, Tess.”

“Oh,” Tessa heard herself saying the words before she’d processed them, “I’m sorry, Jord.” 

“It’s fine, I just-”

“I am _so_ sorry,” Tessa interrupted her, her tone of voice biting, “that my broken hand has ruined your perfect week.”

Jordan eyebrows furrowed, she shook her head. 

“What? Tess, I didn’t say-”

“You don’t have to say it,” Tessa snapped, hearing the slur of her own words. Her mouth felt heavy, the words falling from it without even taking time to consider what she was saying. She could feel the vitriol in her speech, knew without a doubt that she would hurt Jordan by saying these things, but she felt numb. “Your actions said it all. You sat there and saw the entire thing. You didn’t even come check on me until I locked myself in the washroom!” 

Tessa felt the tears beginning to well in her eyes, heard her voice break as it grew shrill. 

“What was I supposed to do?” Jordan demanded, “Leave all of my guests and chase after you because you turned into an idiot as soon as you saw Brad? You’ve spent the past three months swearing up and down that you’d never give him the time of day again and as soon as you saw him, it was like you forgot about all of that.” Jordan wiped an angry tear from her eye, “God, Tessa, I’ve been there for you every step of the way. Couldn’t you just give me one fucking week?”

Tessa glared at her, shook her head in disbelief. 

“One week?” She laughed, threw her head back for emphasis. “That’s a good one, Jordan. One week. As if you haven’t had our entire lives!”

“Tessa,” Jordan gasped her name, her voice breaking, “why are you saying this? I never tried to compete with you. I never tried to take attention from you. I never wanted anything from you but to be my friend.” 

“Trust me, you didn’t have to try,” Tessa snapped, “getting all of the attention comes naturally to you. I’ve spent my entire life wanting to be you. You’ve always gotten everything you’ve ever asked for. Your entire life has been perfect.” 

Tessa could hear the sob that Jordan attempted to stifle. 

“That’s not true, Tessa, you know that’s not true!” Jordan began to inch away from her on the bed, shaking her head. 

“Oh. Wait. You won silver in Sochi instead of gold. My mistake. Almost perfect.” 

She said each word with vicious clarity, watching the effect they had on Jordan. Her wide green eyes were wet with tears, her chest shuddering as she tried to fight the sobs that rose within her. 

“Scott told me the medicine made you act differently,” Jordan pressed a hand to her mouth, “I didn’t think you’d attack me.”

“It’s not the medicine,” Tessa retorted, though in her hazy mind, she knew it was. There was no question. She’d never wanted to hurt Jordan in this way, and now she couldn’t stop. “I’ve always felt this way. I’ve just never had the opportunity to tell you.” 

She watched Jordan wipe at her eyes once more, push herself off the bed and began tugging her hands back into her gloves. She could see the heat rising in her sister’s cheeks, knew that she’d hurt her. And while she wanted to cry and beg Jordan not to leave, tell her that she was sorry, that she was out of her mind in pain and confusion, she could do nothing but watch her. 

Jordan hurried away from the bed, her breath ragged. Before she descended the stairs, she turned to glare at Tessa. Her face was streaked with tears, her eyes already swollen.

“You better get yourself together, Tessa. I need my sister this week and you’re being a bitch.” 

Jordan disappeared down the stairs. Tessa watched her go wordlessly. It was only after she heard the front door shut that she turned onto her side, blinking as tears began to stream down her face. She cried quietly, gasping softly for her breath as she recalled the angry words she’d spoken to her sister, her best friend. Her hand throbbed, the pain was agonizing, but it was nothing compared to the ache in her chest. 

She hated herself, wanted to call or text Jordan and beg for her forgiveness. The memory of her sister’s tear-stained face remained in her mind, floated to the surface as she heard someone ascending the stairs. 

She heard Scott clear his throat softly at the top of the stairs, heard his footsteps pause as he approached the end of the bed. 

“Hey,” his voice was soft, timid. “Are you okay?” 

Tessa turned her face into the pillow, sniffled quietly, ignored his question. When she didn’t respond after a long moment, he moved toward the couch and gathered the blanket that had been spread over it from the previous night in his arms. Tessa saw his movement from the corner of her eye, watched as he picked a pillow up. 

Tessa turned, pushed herself into a sitting position, holding her wounded hand to her chest. 

“Where are you going?” Her voice broke as she spoke, and when Scott turned to look at her, his eyes were large and dark. 

“I’m just going to sleep on the couch downstairs,” he responded quietly. “Don’t worry, I have my alarm set for the next time you can take your pain medicine. I just… it’s been a rough day and I know you need some privacy, okay?” 

Tessa watched him as he moved to the dresser across the room, pulled out a clean t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants. She sniffled once more, watching him with heavy eyes as he moved back to the stairs. 

“Scott?” 

He turned to look at her, his face drawn with concern. 

“Yeah?” 

“I’m a terrible person.” She said the words so quietly that, at first, she wasn’t sure that he’d heard her. He seemed to pause, contemplating her words. She watched him hesitate for a moment before he moved to the couch to put down the items in his arm and then make his way to the end of the bed. 

His arms hung at his sides, his head tilted slightly as he considered her words. 

“No you’re not,” he finally sighed, lowering himself to the edge of the bed where Jordan had been shortly before. “You’re not a terrible person, Tessa. I’m sure no one’s holding it against you for punching him. If they’d heard what he said, they would have punched him, too.” 

“I’m not talking about Brad,” she said quickly, “I’m talking about Jordan.” 

She heard him take a quiet breath, watched him, anticipating his reaction. He’d heard the entire fight, there was no way he hadn’t. She waited for him to agree with her, to tell her that she’d treated her older sister like a criminal for no other reason than simple jealousy. 

“It’s a stressful week for both of you,” he began after a moment of quiet. “You’re both dealing with high emotions. I’m sure, in her heart, she knows you didn’t mean what you said.” 

“But that’s the thing,” Tessa met his eyes. “I do mean what I said.” At his silence, she continued, “I mean not in the way I said it, but… all of those are real feelings. I know it’s hard to understand, Scott, but by the time I was old enough to even be aware of what was going on around me, the entire world had already started to revolve around Jordan.” 

Her eyes moved to her hands in her lap, wincing at the stab of pain in her left hand. Wordlessly, Scott moved closer to her. Carefully, he guided her hand to her chest, meeting her eyes. 

“The doctor said you have to keep it elevated,” he reminded her gently. His hand fell away and she clutched the hand to her chest.

“I’ve spent my entire life in her shadow,” she spoke, her voice trembling. “I grew up believing that I was never good enough. Nothing I did was ever enough. Everything was about what Jordan needed, what Jordan wanted. Jordan had a competition, Jordan had an awards ceremony. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be the supporting character in your own life?” 

Scott allowed her to finish speaking, studying her face. His eyes were focused, thoughtful. 

“Who is making you the supporting character in your own life, Tessa? Can you actually think of one time your sister ever asked you to put her needs before your own?” 

Tessa glared at him, clenched her jaw. Scott sat back, shook his head at her. 

“I can’t figure you out. Jesus, Tessa, you have so much going for you. You’re smart, you’re beautiful. You have a family that loves you and, as far as I can tell, you’ve never wanted for anything in your life. And yet, since the moment I saw you yesterday, you’ve done nothing but feel sorry for yourself.” 

Tessa felt her face burn at his accusation, could feel the anger beginning to rise once again in her chest.

“You were dealt a shitty hand with Brad,” he continued. “You fell in love with an asshole who didn’t know what he had when he had it, and I’m sorry, but it happens. We all fall for the wrong people sometimes. It’s okay to react. You get hurt, you get angry, and then you get over it. That’s just the way it goes.” 

“You have no idea what it’s like to be me,” she hissed at him, scorned by his words. 

“You’re right,” he leaned forward, his gaze focused solely on her. “And I’ve only known you for a couple of days, but I’m pretty good at reading people. And that woman I met at the bar? She was confident and she was sexy and I know when that woman wants something, she goes out and makes it happen. She doesn’t take no for an answer and she sure as hell doesn’t fall at the feet of some jackass who cheated on her too many times to keep track. When you punched Brad, when I saw you in the washroom, I saw that woman again. She’s in there somewhere.” 

She could feel the rage in her chest, wished she could find her voice to curse at him, but she felt breathless under his gaze.

“The thing that’s been bothering me the most,” he continued, “is that you are terrified to be yourself and I can’t figure out why.” 

“No I’m not,” she spat at him. “You’re delirious.” 

“Am I?” He challenged her, “Tessa, you were so afraid to let your family and friends see your vulnerability, that you paid me, a total stranger, thousands of dollars to accompany you to your own sister’s wedding.”

“You have let other people define you for your entire life, and for what? To have your heart broken? To be disappointed, over and over again?” She saw his jaw clench, saw as his fingers curled into loose fists. “You’ve been so busy feeling sorry for yourself that you haven’t even taken the time to realize that the only person you’re competing with, Tessa, is you.” 

She opened her mouth to protest, but… there was nothing to say. He was right. She racked her brain desperately, searching for a reason that she’d spent so much time pitying herself. 

“You think you know me so well,” she whispered harshly. Her heart pounded in her chest. She hated him for saying these things, despised him for breaking her down and exposing her in this way. And… God, he’d proven his point. “This isn’t me. I’m not this weak, wounded woman. That woman you met in the bar, the confident one, that’s who I want to be.”

“Then do it,” he demanded, “prove it.” 

She stared at him for a matter of seconds, his dark eyes a reflection of her own. She shifted in the bed, and, still clutching her injured hand to her chest, she closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Her lips found his, her hot skin pressed against him. Boldly, she slid her tongue into his mouth, and was surprised that he immediately returned the gesture. Her right hand curled at her side, desperate to touch his face, to feel that delicious muscle in his jaw, but she found herself intoxicated by the taste of him, unable to focus on anything but the way this felt. 

She kissed him longer, harder, waited for him to pull away, but he didn’t. She wanted this to go on, wanted him to lower himself onto her and replace her pain with pleasure, but aside from returning the kiss, he made no move to further the interaction. 

It was several breathless moments before she finally forced herself to pull away from him, already missing the taste of his lips, hating how alone she felt without him pressed against her.

The effects of the pain medicine surfaced once more, and it would have been easy to blame her actions on it. As Scott had said, the doctor had said it might cause behavior changes. It was entirely possible that the narcotic had caused her to act out in a way she may never have if not under its influence. But that was weak Tessa, heartbroken Tessa. That wasn’t the woman he’d met in the bar, not the woman who had been confident enough to approach him, to leave him desperate for more. 

And perhaps, if her hand hadn’t been freshly fractured, if she hadn’t just shamed her older sister into leaving in tears, if her pride hadn’t been mortally wounded by the man she’d just kissed, she would have said so. She would have told Scott that she could be that woman from the bar, that she could be sexy and powerful and leave men heartbroken in her wake. 

But, as it was, she couldn’t find the words. The fear, the heartbreak, the anger… it was too much. All of it culminated in angry tears that slipped down her cheeks as she moved away from him, her dark hair falling into her face as she cast her eyes to the bed.

She waited for him to say something, to make another joke about how much that kiss would cost her, but he stayed quiet. She peeked at him from beneath the dark curtain of her hair, tried to read the expression on his face, but his face was disguised by the shadows in the room. She watched his tongue dart out to wet his lips and she wondered if it was a reflex or if he was reliving the taste of her mouth as well. 

He pushed himself to his feet, ran a hand through his dark hair as he moved back to the couch to pick up the items he’d abandoned earlier. 

“Scott?” 

He turned to her, blinked. Was his face flushed, or was that just another trick of the light? It was hard to tell in the dim room. 

“Will you stay up here with me tonight instead?” 

He glanced toward the couch once more before nodding. He hesitated for a moment before grabbing the pajama pants and his t-shirt and disappearing into the washroom. By the time he emerged in his pajamas, she’d turned off the light and was lying quietly beneath the blankets. 

She felt, rather than saw, him move into the bed beside her, their bodies still separated by the divide of pillows. They laid in silence for several long minutes, her eyes watching the snow as it blew outside the window. When her eyes had adjusted to the moonlight, she pushed herself up on her elbow and began to pull the pillows from the center of the bed, tossing them on the floor beside her. 

After she’d discarded the fourth pillow, she saw his face turn toward her. 

“What are you doing?” He asked quietly. 

When there were only two pillows separating them, she settled back against the mattress. From her position, she could easily see him watching her. 

“I just don’t want to feel alone tonight,” she finally answered, her voice soft. 

She could hear his steady breath beside her, and for a long moment, he was still. 

Tessa used a pillow to prop up her left hand, the right falling onto the thin barrier that still remained between them. She closed her eyes, attempted to sleep despite the pain in her hand and the ache in her head. 

Slowly, she felt his hand moving across the pillow, held her breath until she felt his fingers curl around hers. When their fingers were interlocked, she allowed herself to breathe. His thumb brushed the knuckles of her right hand as they lay in silence and darkness.

When his alarm sounded hours later, the reminder for her next dose of medication waking both of them, she found that they were still holding hands. 

When the ache of her fracture woke her in the light of the morning, Scott wasn’t beside her. She blinked awake, remembering the previous evening in one staggering moment that caused her to suck in a breath. The pain, both physical and emotional, hit her at once and she closed her eyes against it, wanting nothing more than to drift back into the abyss of sleep. 

She wondered what time it was, reached for her phone to check, and was dismayed to discover that it was nearly eleven o’clock. She’d been exhausted after yesterday’s events, the pain medicine lulling her into a dreamless sleep that had made her body heavy and slow. She propped herself onto her elbows, suddenly panicked in an effort to remember if there had been any events planned for this morning. 

If she recalled the calendar of events correctly, which Jordan had drilled into her brain in the previous weeks, there was nothing scheduled until later this evening, and she allowed herself to rest once more against the pillows. 

She’d just fallen back into a hazy state of rest when Scott’s voice called softly to her from the top of the stairs. 

“Hey, good morning.” She blinked, her eyes blurry, and watched as he crossed the room with a small glass of juice and a plate of toast. “Time for your next pill.” 

Tessa rolled her head to study her hand, studied the angry purple bruise that stained her knuckles. 

“No,” her voice was raspy, hoarse. “No more pills. They make me crazy.” 

His eyebrows went up in surprise, but he nodded, acquiescing. 

“Okay, then. Good on you. But at least let me get you some regular Tylenol.”

Tessa struggled to sit up, accepted the juice with her right hand and steadied the plate of toast on her lap. He disappeared into the washroom and came back a moment later with two small white capsules. She opened her mouth and he dropped them onto her tongue before washing them down with a swallow of juice. He watched her approvingly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. 

He took the glass from her and placed it on the nightstand beside the bed, watched as she lifted the toast to her mouth and took a bite. 

“Thank you,” she whispered softly, her eyes raising to meet his. 

He shrugged, shook his head. 

“Don’t mention it.”

He busied himself as she finished one slice of toast, placing the plate with the remaining piece on the nightstand beside her. 

“Hey, Scott?” 

“Yep?” His head turned in her direction, his back still to her. She allowed her eyes to study his body; the broadness of his shoulders, his trim hips. He wore fitted jeans, and the curve of his ass reminded her of the way he’d undressed in front of her that first day. A familiar sensation stirred in her lower belly. 

“Will you drive me to Jordan’s cottage in a few minutes? I need to talk to my sister.”

He grinned at her, already shrugging into his jacket. 

“I’ll get the car started.” 

Twenty minutes later, Tessa found herself on the steps of Jordan’s rented cottage, shivering against the cold as she rapped on the door. Several moments passed, Tessa raised her hand to knock once more, and the door opened. 

Jordan blinked at the sight of her, her green eyes immediately focusing on Tessa’s splinted hand. 

“What’s wrong?” She asked, her voice concerned. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m actually freezing my ass off,” Tessa hugged herself, “can I come inside?” 

“Oh,” Jordan stepped aside, pulled the door open, “yeah, sure.”

The heat enveloped her in a comforting warmth and Tessa stepped inside, lingering for an awkward moment as Jordan shut the door behind her. They made brief eye contact before Jordan made her way into the living room, settling on the couch and pulling her feet up beneath her. 

Tessa followed her slowly, perched on a chair across from her, her top teeth worrying her lower lip. 

“How’s your hand?” Jordan asked. Tessa studied her, noticed the way her cheeks flushed, the way she rested her hands in her lap. 

“It’s… fine,” Tessa shook her head, “I mean, it’s the same. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Jordan lifted her chin, swallowed. “I didn’t sleep well.” 

Noting the dark circles beneath her eyes, Tessa lowered her gaze, allowed the shame to wash over her before speaking again. 

“Jordan, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly last night. I shouldn’t have said those things to you.” 

She spoke earnestly, focusing on being able to control her trembling voice. Jordan’s dark eyes watched her, waited for her to continue. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you like that.” 

Jordan was quiet for a moment.

“Did you mean those things you said?” 

Tessa met her eyes, shook her head after a pause. 

“No. I mean… yes. But not all of them, and not the way I said them. I was in a lot of pain, but that doesn’t excuse the way I spoke to you. I just… I was so angry. I was so hurt by Brad, by the fact that you seemed to care more about Charlie’s mother than me. I’ve been holding things in for a long time, Jord. I can’t do it anymore.” 

“My life isn’t perfect, Tessa,” Jordan said after a moment. “You made me feel like I’m nothing but medals. You spoke to me like I’ve spent my entire life trying to make you feel like shit. You’re my best friend. My baby sister. I wouldn’t…” Jordan wiped a tear away. “You said you’ve spent your entire life wanting to be me, but did you even stop to think for a second that I’ve spent most of my life wishing I was you?” 

Tessa blinked, her lips parting in surprise. 

“But why would you… you have everything. You’re beautiful, you’re talented. You have someone who loves you unconditionally. The entire world loves you, Jordan.” 

“Do you know how much pressure that is?” Jordan raised her eyes, shiny with tears. “To be studied and criticized for every decision you make? Every time I speak, every word I say, there are thousands of people waiting to tear me apart. And not speaking? That’s even worse.”

“I didn’t get to have a childhood, Tess. I spent every moment of every day being shuffled from one practice to another, training until my feet bled and I hated skating so much that I didn’t even want to continue. And there you were, this perfect, beautiful little girl who got all of the experiences I didn’t. You got slumber parties and school dances. You got to go trick-or-treating and attend a regular school, and what did I get? I got competitions. I got practice. I got Mom and my coaches and everyone else telling me that I could always do better, be more graceful, work harder.” Jordan sobbed, buried her face in her hands. “You got everything I ever wanted. Don’t you know I would trade every medal I have for the chance to have a normal life?” 

Tessa moved from the chair to the couch beside Jordan, her arms slipping around her older sister wordlessly. She pulled her into her arms, held her as she wept.

“I’m sorry, Jordan. I’m so sorry. I never knew.” 

“Why would I have told you?” Jordan cried, “It wasn’t your fault. You were just a little girl. You didn’t ask for your life any more than I asked for mine.” 

Tessa stroked her dark hair, made quiet shushing noises as Jordan took her shuddering breaths. She wiped at her eyes, sniffling. 

“I’m so sorry,” Tessa cooed, wiping away the tears that slid down her own cheeks. “I wish I could take back what I said to you. I never meant to hurt you like this.” 

Jordan shook her head, her arms slowly winding around Tessa, returning the hug. 

“I just wish you had told me earlier, Tess. I never want you to think that you’re anything less than perfect to me. My entire life, you’re the only person that didn’t treat me like I was different for being able to stand on ice skates. Everyone said to me, be proud of your talent. Be proud of your medals. And when I look at you, I am proud. But it’s not because I’ve been to the Olympics, not because of any of my awards. It’s because I’m your big sister.” 

Tessa smiled at her, wiped her tears once more. 

“God, you’re really laying it on thick.” 

Jordan laughed, sniffled. Tessa swallowed, shook her head. 

“Do you forgive me? Is there anything I can do to make this better?” 

“Of course I forgive you, baby sister.” Jordan ruffled Tessa’s hair playfully. Tessa yelped, shrugged out of her grasp, grinning. “But… there is something you can do.” 

“Anything,” Tessa shook her head, “just say the word.” 

“Well,” Jordan brushed her brunette hair behind her ear, “Charlie’s been going on about how important it is that we master this wedding dance. He says it’s the most important dance in a person’s life. I beg to differ… I mean, was he at the Olympics with me?” Tessa smiled, watching her. 

“Anyway, he scheduled a dance class for us. I know, it’s ridiculous, but it means a lot to him, and it would mean a lot to me if you’d join us.” 

Tessa gave her a crooked grin. 

“Why do you want me to go to your wedding dance class with you?” 

“Because Charlie wants to perfect his tango and I’m going to be totally honest with you, it’s embarrassing as hell to do on your own. Please, Tess, please, please.” Jordan took Tessa’s face between her hands, squishing her cheeks playfully. 

“Okay!” Tessa laughed, ducking out of her sister’s reach. “Okay, fine. I’ll do the dance class with you. I’m sure Scott will be thrilled.” 

“Ah, imagining that man doing the tango is enough to make me sweat already,” Jordan trilled. “Wear something sexy, but cool. You can’t imagine how hot it’s going to get in there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When marimba rhythms start to play...


	8. Tessa Considers Bankruptcy In Exchange For Extra Services

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, we have a rating change. This chapter is a tad bit shorter than some others, but I've decided to break it into two parts. It's just... going to be a lot to handle. (enter fire emoji here)

“Dance class?” Scott’s voice had called out from beyond the washroom door, his confusion evident. “They’re literally gold-medal winning ice-dancers. Is dancing off-ice that much different?” 

Tessa had laughed as she’d slipped her dress over her head, studying herself with a grin as the skirt swished around her knees. She’d run the fingertips of her right hand over the silky fabric, turning in a half circle and watching as the dress spun with her. 

“She says Charlie really wants to perfect his tango,” she’d shrugged as Scott had emerged from the washroom, his fingers fastening the third button on his shirt. She smiled at her reflection, instinctively moving to pull her low ponytail tighter before her eyes moved to her splinted hand. “Oh.” 

“What’s up?” He’d asked, catching her eyes in the reflection of the mirror. 

“I just don’t…” she’d arched an eyebrow, shook her head. “I don’t know how I’m going to do a tango with my hand like this.” 

He’d crossed the room to her slowly, reached for her right hand and spun her to face him, his fingers tenderly grasping her delicate wrist. 

“Carefully,” he’d smiled at her. 

Tessa had felt the blush creep across her cheeks, averted her eyes from him, though when he’d released her from his hold, she’d felt unfathomably cold. 

“The wedding dance is the most important dance moment in a person’s life,” the dance instructor, a slight woman who appeared to be in her late forties, spoke now. “A room full of friends and family, watching, smiling, and betting on how long the marriage will last.” 

Jordan scoffed, laughing before turning to Charlie, who smirked at her.

“All you’ll have is each other in that moment,” the instructor smiled impishly at them before clapping twice, “so pay attention. Now pair off.” 

Tessa and Jordan glanced at one another before separating, Jordan sliding into Charlie’s arms easily while Tessa took a step closer to Scott. He smirked at her, raised his hands, and slid his right arm around Tessa’s waist. It rested low on her hips and she felt a tug of desire at the way his fingers brushed her lower back. She shifted in his arms, slid closer to him. Her splinted left hand rested on his shoulder as he cupped her right in his own.

“I like to give my students some time to loosen up before we dive right into the dance of choice. Your bodies are stiff, immobile. We need to allow them to flex, to writhe, to sway.” 

There was a moment of awkward quiet as the instructor’s heels clicked toward the corner of the room, and Tessa could feel herself beginning to giggle nervously at the silence. Jordan glanced at her, widening her eyes, which only made Tessa giggle more. The music clicked on, and Michael Buble’s crooning voice wafted through the air. 

_When marimba rhythms start to play, dance with me, make me sway_

Tessa glanced back at Scott, saw his lips twitch as he pulled her closer to him. She allowed her fingers to grip his own, feeling timid and uneasy as the music filtered throughout the room, her body seemingly frozen in place. From the corner of her eye, she could see Jordan’s hips beginning to move slowly, could tell that Charlie had already found her rhythm, that he was beginning to fall into line with her. 

And of course he would. They’d skated together for twenty-two years; they knew each other better than they knew themselves. She and Scott had met, if you didn’t count the bar (which she didn’t) two days ago, and there was a lifetime of experiences between them. Tessa had only ever had the nerve to dance in front of her bedroom mirror when she’d been a teenager, and then in the darkness of dance clubs once she’d gotten older. It wasn’t until she and Brad had been dating for a solid few months that she found the courage to put on a sexy performance for him one evening, watching his eyes go wide with her movements. 

For a moment, the thought made her feel sick and sad. She remembered the way he’d pulled her to him, the way his fingers had dug into her skin as he’d whispered how badly he wanted her. But then, she thought of the conversation she’d had with Scott the night before. She recalled how he’d encouraged her to be that woman once more, to be sexy and confident and then she had. Somehow, she’d been able to dig deep enough to find the resolution to catch his lips, to keep them for long enough that when she’d pulled away, she’d been panting. 

Tessa glanced toward her sister once more, saw them already moving together like a well-oiled machine. When she looked back to Scott, she was surprised to find his dark eyes watching her intently, the hint of a smile upon his lips. 

She hesitated for another moment, her feet feeling heavy and numb. The instructor caught her eyes and Tessa glanced away quickly, but it was too late, she’d already begun to move toward them. Tessa cursed under her breath, narrowed her eyes at Scott as a low chuckle sounded from his throat. 

“Go,” Tessa ordered him, and he began to move with her, arms still encircling her. Tessa clutched him, allowed him to move her awkwardly away from the instructor, supporting her weight as she stumbled on her high heels after him. 

“What’s the matter, Tess?” Scott pressed his mouth close to her ear as he guided her, his fingers pressed firmly against the small of her back. “Two left feet?” 

Tessa glared at him, her lips parting in a scoff. 

_When we dance you have a way with me, stay with me, sway with me_

She lifted her foot, brought it down hard upon his with the beat of the music. Scott winced, hissed in pain. Without missing a beat, he stuck his foot out, and when she attempted to step away from him, she tripped over it. His hand still securely clutching her right hand and grabbing for her left forearm, he caught her just before she fell. 

She let out a soft squeak, but before Jordan or Charlie could look towards them to see her precarious situation, he’d tugged her back onto her feet, pulling her close to his chest once more. Her green eyes narrowed with contempt for him, but it seemed to only spur him on, his grasp on her hip tightening. 

He began to spin them, slowly at first and then faster until Tessa could no longer keep the laughter from spilling out of her and she went into hysterical giggles, clutching at him and somehow managing to keep up with his footwork. When they came to an abrupt stop, she was dizzy with laughter and kept her grasp on him. Jordan called to her from across the room and she glanced toward her, her dark ponytail whipping with the sudden movement. 

“Come on, girl, show us what you can do!” She called to Tessa, who immediately turned back to Scott, her ears suddenly warm. She hesitated for a moment, and Scott watched her, waiting. Slowly, hesitantly, Tessa began to move her hips, looking toward Jordan to copy her movements. Jordan grinned at her, rolled her hips, slid her hands down Charlie’s chest. 

Tessa’s mouth went dry as she looked at Scott once more, and there was a moment between them in which she saw that same look in his eyes from last night. The one he’d given her just before he’d said those words to her: _Prove it._

Blowing a breath between her parted lips, Tessa allowed herself to get lost in the music. 

_Other dancers may be on the floor, dear, but my eyes will see only you_

She let her hips carry the melody, swung them to the right and then to the left, her hands slipping from his and onto his shoulders. She moved along with the beat, her hands gliding from his shoulders to his chest, fingernails gently scratching along the fabric of his shirt as she danced. 

She heard Jordan whoop softly beside her, glanced toward her to see that she’d begun to press her body against Charlie, writhing her hips on him. 

“Keep up, baby sis!” She grinned at her, and Tessa released another breath before pushing herself closer to Scott. Her hips pressed against him, allowing a sensual smile to part her lips as she heard a strangled breath escape from him. 

“Still think I have two left feet?” She whispered against his ear, her breath warm and seductive. She rolled her hips once more, made contact with the lower half of his body, and immediately felt the heat flush her features. His body was beginning to respond. She could feel the firmness of his arousal beginning to press against her, and it was noticeable enough that she knew, for the sake of his pride, that she should stop. But as she grinded her hips against him, she began to relish in the feeling of his excitement. 

His hands fell onto her hips, resting there, his fingers clutching them gently through the silky dress. Tessa closed her eyes, turned in his arms, allowed her bottom to press against his crotch as she continued to move. She could hear his breathing begin to increase, could feel the way he seemed to pull her ever closer to him, eliminating any space between them. 

They were so close, their bodies so warm against one another, that Tessa didn’t even bother to check if Jordan, Charlie, or even the instructor, were looking at them any longer. From the way Scott had begun responding to her movements, she couldn’t imagine he cared, either. She felt his lips suddenly against the base of her neck, felt him press a soft kiss against her shoulder, heard his heavy breath. 

“God, Tessa,” he breathed the words against her skin, “what are you doing to me?” 

She wondered briefly what he meant by those words. Was it the way his body was reacting to her? There was no doubt in her mind that he’d been with many women in the past; surely she wasn’t the first one to get this rise out of him, pun intended. Or was it more than that? She wanted to assume that it was her, that he’d never quite had a client like this, that it wasn’t typical of him to be this intimate with someone despite the fact that they’d only kissed. That maybe, despite the fact that she hadn’t paid his extra fee for sex, he had started to realize that this could be more than just a job.

When the music slowed to a stop, there was a moment of quiet between them in which they both seemed to realize the boundaries they’d crossed. And yet, Tessa wondered if either of them cared. She heard his breathing begin to slow, knew that she should pull away from him, but being pressed to his chest felt so damn… _right._

When he stepped away, she felt colder than if she’d been outside without her jacket. 

The music shifted, became something slower, more sensual. The instructor spoke again, though Tessa couldn’t make sense of her words over the beating of her own heart. He moved forward once more, took her into his arms again. This time, when he held her, it was different. The sexual tension was undoubtedly still there, at least for her, but his touch was more gentle, almost uncertain. 

He held her in his arms, spun her to the music, and her feet followed his rhythm easily. His hand clutched hers, their fingers intertwined. She pressed herself closer to him, suddenly wanting nothing more than to feel the beat of his heart against hers. She felt eyes on her, turned her gaze only long enough to see Jordan watching her before focusing once more on Scott. He was hypnotic, his eyes dark, his jaw doing that clenching thing (and God, he was right; it was sexy) and Tessa wanted to fall against him, forget the music and the other people in the room and kiss him so hard that they were breathless once more. 

The music shifted once more, into the tango that Jordan had spoken about, and though Tessa knew without a doubt that she was capable of performing the dance, her head wasn’t in it. She was all sharp edges and her feet wouldn’t cooperate, but the heat radiating from his body and the sound of his ragged breath did nothing to help her. She couldn’t think of anything but tugging that shirt from his muscular frame, considered how much better it would look on the floor of the loft bedroom in their cottage. 

She made it through the rest of the class, feeling lightheaded and dizzy by the time Jordan approached her afterwards. Her sister’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes lively and bright. 

“So… how was it?” 

Tessa hesitated for a moment, considered the right words to use. She shrugged. 

“It was okay. It was fun.” 

Jordan arched an eyebrow at her before shouldering her playfully. 

“I mean, how were Charlie and me? Do you think we can pull this off in two days?” 

“Oh,” Tessa smiled at her bashfully, nodding. “Yeah. Of course you can. You can do anything.” Tessa couldn't find the words to mention that she'd barely been able to tear herself away from looking at Scott.

Jordan returned the smile, reached out to smooth her younger sister’s hair. 

“Okay, sis, you better get home and get some rest. You know what tonight is!” Jordan called playfully as she began to walk away, her hips swinging to the beat of a tune only she could hear. 

Tessa turned, thinking of nothing more than the fact that she and Scott would be sharing the bed once more tonight. Tonight was… _shit, what was tonight?_

“What’s tonight?” Tessa asked, her voice trembling as Scott moved to stand beside her. 

Jordan turned, shook her head in confusion. 

“It’s the bachelorette party, Tess! Nine PM sharp.” Jordan grinned at Scott. “And don’t you dare think you’re getting out of the bachelor party, Scott.” Jordan winked at Tessa, turned, and in a moment, she and Scott were alone in the dance studio. 

“Bachelor party?” Scott asked, eyeing her with a grin, “Will there be dancers?” 

Tessa felt a kernel of something that resembled jealousy in the pit of her stomach. A tight smile drew upon her lips, a forced laugh escaping her. 

“I sincerely doubt that. Charlie is about the most love-struck guy you’ll ever find. He wouldn’t even think about bringing another woman into the party.” 

She heard the small sound of dismay that Scott emitted, smiling to herself. 

“And anyway,” she said, grabbing his hand and turning herself in a circle as they exited the building, “don’t forget; you have to pretend that you love me.” 

Tessa drove them back to the cottage, her body humming with excitement. She noticed Scott glancing toward her more than once during the short drive, couldn’t quite place her finger on what it was that had changed. Was it the memory of her lips upon his the previous evening? Was it thought of their bodies pressed together, his aching stiffness against her hip as she’d danced? 

Was it that Scott was right; that the woman he’d met in the bar that night still existed within her and had only been waiting to be unleashed? 

As she climbed the stairs to the loft bedroom, she’d made up her mind that it was a combination of the three things. They hadn’t so much as talked about the kiss, and she wondered suddenly if he thought she’d forgotten. She had been on pain pills, after all. It was possible that he was afraid to mention it, scared that she’d blocked it from her mind in the midst of her pill-induced euphoria.

She heard him behind her, wanted to suddenly turn and take him by the hand, pull him into another dance with unheard music, grind her body against his, feel that overwhelming wave of arousal once more. But the time had passed for that. She needed to shower, and for a fleeting moment, she considered asking him to join her. Suddenly, without thinking, she pulled the ponytail from her hair and let it fall to her shoulders. 

She could feel his eyes on her as she boldly slid the dress from her shoulders, stepping out of it as it fell into a silken pool at her feet. She heard him catch his breath at the sight of her, now wearing only the panties that hugged the curves of hips and ass. Her bare chest was flushed from the nerve of her decision, but it was too late to take it back. She felt free and sexy, turned to him in a heart-stopping moment of self-assurance, meeting his dark eyes before straightening her shoulders, pushing her chest out. 

As his eyes moved to her breasts unashamedly, she felt a shudder of arousal that started in her core and spread throughout her body. The air was warm in the cottage, but she could feel her nipples hardening in the space between them. His mouth moved, lips parting as if he were attempting to speak, but no sound escaped him. She grinned, turned and began to move toward the washroom. 

“I’m showering,” she called over her shoulder, making sure to move her hips just as she remembered Jordan doing as she’d exited the dance studio. Scott let out a puff of air, and she heard him curse quietly. As she entered the washroom, she cracked the door, careful not to shut it all the way. Consider it an unspoken invitation. 

She started the shower and slipped out of her panties, stepping into the hot stream of water. As she washed her hair and body, her heart pounded in her chest, her body flushing at the thought of her nerve, at the possibility that he could take this invitation to join her. 

And if he did, what then? Would she kiss him beneath the steaming stream of water? Push him against the wall, allowing her hands to find that stiffness she’d felt as they’d danced? Would his fingers cup her breasts, his mouth dipping to take her hardening nipples between his lips? Tessa released a sigh at the thought, her hand skimming down her body to rub gently between her thighs. She could imagine Scott on his knees before her, his mouth wet and ready for her. Her fingers would clutch the dark strands of his hair, pull him closer to her and-

And then what? She’d run to her purse afterward, showering him with all the cash and credit cards she had with her? Would that even be enough? And, God, if what Scott had was anything close to what she thought she'd felt, would he allow her to open a credit line? 

Her body had begun to respond to her own touch, hips canting at the feel of the long-awaited ecstasy, but she was so enjoying the feeling of bringing herself to the brink only to hesitate before allowing herself to fall over the edge that it surprised her when the water, which had been warm enough to steam the bathroom mirror, began to run cold against her warm skin. She cried out, though this time not in pleasure, and arched away from the water. Hurriedly, she shut off the shower and stepped out, shivering as she wrapped herself in her fluffy white robe.

She towel-dried her hair, brushed it back before emerging from the washroom. She pulled her robe tight around her, stepped into the bedroom to find Scott perched on the edge of the bed, watching her with dark eyes. She throbbed between her thighs, wanted so badly to throw herself at him, beg him to give her what she needed, but, God, how would she ever go about doing that? 

As she began to move toward him, unsteady in her approach, he moved quickly from the bed and past her toward the washroom. 

“My turn to shower,” he announced quickly, shutting the door behind him. She hesitated for a moment, then called out. 

“Wait, I accidentally used all the hot water!” 

There was a pause from him on the other side of the door, and then: 

“That’s okay. I need it to be cold.” 

Tessa turned her face into her shoulder, grinning. 

She stood outside the washroom door as she heard the shower start, heard Scott’s hiss of discomfort as the cold water pelted his skin. She moved slowly to the bed, perched on the side of it as she considered her next move. She could push open the door, join him, but it was likely that an ice-cold shower wouldn’t be the most erotic atmosphere. She hitched her leg up on the bed, her bare leg slipping from beneath the robe, and suddenly she knew. 

She situated herself on the bed, untied the robe and let it fall open. Her body was exposed to the air, her small breasts, her hard abs, the dark pink of her swollen sex between her legs. She skimmed her fingers down her body, whimpering at the feel of her own touch. 

She would stay like this, she decided, splayed on the bed. Her legs were parted, the robe slipping off her shoulders. When he emerged from the shower, he’d find her in this position, and at that point, it would be up to him. He could decide whether or not to take the next step. 

She wanted him, she realized, as she listened to the shower run, imagined his naked body beneath the stream. She wanted to accept him into herself, wanted to feel the exquisite pleasure of his member parting her folds. It had been three months since she’d had sex with anyone (at least anyone other than herself) and something had been unleashed within her when she’d felt his arousal pressing against her during the dance class. 

As she laid there, exposed, thinking of him, she allowed her mind to wander. 

What would he think when he saw her like this? He’d encouraged her to be that woman in the bar, but had he meant in this way? She thought back to the almost bashful memory of him that first night, the way he’d told her how beautiful she was. She’d done nothing more than bat her lashes at him then, maybe expose a little leg. She remembered the way she’d watched him fall for her: _hook, line, sinker_. 

She’d played hard to get, difficult to please. Was that what he wanted? A woman who could be sexy but subtle? And what if he saw her like this, nothing left to the imagination, and decided that he couldn’t be with her in that way? 

She worried her lower lip with her two front teeth, felt her fingers beginning to twitch at the seam of her robe. The shower turned off suddenly, and the thought of him standing just beyond the closed door, water cascading off his hardened body, filled her with a sense of urgency. She needed to decide, and quickly. Was this the way she wanted to seduce him? And what if he expected to be paid up front? Fuck, would he still expect to be paid? 

She heard him clear his throat beyond the door and, panicked, pulled her robe shut quickly, tying it tightly. She’d just pulled her feet up beneath her when the washroom door open, glancing toward him as he stepped out, already dressed. His hair was still wet, mussed from the towel, and she allowed herself an unsteady breath. 

“Hey,” he greeted her, giving her an easy smile. She could see that the fire within him had been extinguished, and she began to wonder if it was simply the cold water or if he’d been able to finish what she’d begun in the shower. 

“Hey,” she returned softly, pressing her legs together to quell the desire between them, “how was your shower?” 

He grinned crookedly at her, and she instantly knew what had taken him so long. 

“Wet,” he replied impishly. 

Tessa groaned, her head dropping into her hands. 

“Yeah,” she forced a smile, seeing his surprised face. “Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I find dance scenes extremely awkward to write, so I hope I did Sway even a tiny bit of justice. To be continued!


	9. Tessa Isn't That Girl From the Bar Anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the chapter that's earned us an M rating. This chapter is rated E, to be honest. But I feel like the rest of the story averages it out. I hope it's been worth the wait and has lived up to the expectation.

“So, the bachelorette party?” Scott eyed her, arching an eyebrow as he followed her to the front door of the cottage, lingering a few feet behind her. “What are you ladies going to do?” 

Tessa turned to him as he helped her slide her injured hand into the sleeve of her jacket. She lifted her long, dark hair, allowing it to fall over her back. She grinned, shrugged. 

“We’re just meeting up at a bar.” 

“Oh,” he lifted his chin, allowing his eyes to look away from her. “A bar, huh?” 

“Yeah, a bar,” she laughed, “is there something wrong with that?” 

“No, of course not,” he shook his head. “I just… are you sure you should be drinking? I mean, the pain pills…” 

“Thanks to you, I haven’t taken the pain pills in nearly twenty-four hours,” she watched him expectantly. 

“Okay, yeah, but the half-life of those medicines…” 

“The half-life?” Tessa laughed again, “I may have been doped up, but I do remember you telling me that you’re an escort, not a doctor. Did you happen to get your medical degree in the past day?” 

He quieted, his eyes leaving her face, studying the dress she wore. Tessa’s fingers tugged at her coat, considering pulling it closed, but though his gaze was gentle, she felt the heat already rising in her cheeks. 

She’d chosen to wear a knee-length dress with crisscrossed sequins crossing the chest, a sheer mesh connecting the straps together. The dress was backless, exposing the fair skin of her shoulders and back. It was impossible to wear a bra with the dress, but she’d managed to tuck her breasts into the top enough to conceal her dark pink nipples. She could feel Scott’s eyes on her, allowed him to study her for a moment, remembering how close she’d come to surrendering herself to him completely earlier this afternoon. 

“Do you, uh…” she glanced toward him, her cheeks burning, “do you have, uh… an extra…” 

He narrowed his gaze at her, tilted his head. 

“An extra…?”

She averted her gaze from him. Did she really expect to get laid at Jordan’s party? Did she expect to find a random guy, go back to his place and sleep with someone she’d only met hours before? Of course not, but it wouldn’t hurt to be proactive. 

“An extra condom?” She asked, her voice trembling, “Or two?” 

He blinked at her, crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Or two?” His voice seemed to rise in pitch, “What kind of party is this, again?” 

Tessa took a breath, looked at him from below her brows in an attempt to be seductive. 

“Ugh, never mind. I’ll get some on the way to the party.” She turned, suddenly afraid that she’d taken this too far. She’d wanted to play with him a little, tease him into believing that she was on the prowl for a lover. She began toward the door, but Scott stopped her. 

“Wait,” he gave her pause, “hang on.” 

He disappeared upstairs for a moment, returned with two small square packets tucked into his hand. He offered them to her with an open palm and she took them from him, her face flushing with heat as she slid them into her jacket pocket. 

She pulled her jacket around her, his eyes almost immediately moving back to her face. His mouth was drawn into a tight line, eyebrows furrowed with concern. 

“What? Are you…” she smiled teasingly, “Are you a little jealous?” 

He laughed, tossing his head back for dramatic effect. 

“Jealous? No. Definitely not jealous.” 

“Oh yeah? ‘Cause you sound jealous.” 

Scott held his hands up in surrender, leaning on the arm of the couch. 

“Okay. Forget I said anything. Have fun. Don’t drink too much, eh? And be careful.” 

Tessa waggled her fingers at him, smirking as she checked her phone. Her Uber driver had notified her of his arrival. She pulled the door open and stepped into the arctic air. 

“Don’t wait up,” she teased, listened as he sighed. When she pulled the front door shut behind her, she buried her face into the scarf wrapped around her neck, the wool doubling as a shelter from the wind and a safe place to hide her smile. 

She arrived at the bar just before nine o’clock, cursing softly as she ran inside. Jordan and the small group of her bridesmaids were already inside, half a dozen of them with shot glasses full of amber liquid. As the bridesmaids tipped their heads back, pouring the liquid into their mouths, Tessa moved quickly across the bar, wrapping Jordan in a hug from behind. 

Jordan squealed, turned to wrap her arms around her younger sister. 

“You made it!” 

“Ugh, I’m sorry,” Tessa groaned. “I was trying to get ready, and it’s so damn hard to do my makeup with this thing on my hand.” She offered her splinted hand in gesture. “God, I’m a terrible sister. I’m the maid of honor and I’m the last one to show up.” 

“Oh, it’s fine,” Jordan nudged her with her hip, grinning. Her fingers tugged at the necklace made of plastic pink beads that hung around her neck, showing it to Tessa. A crude, plastic representation of a penis hung from the end of it. Jordan laughed, reached over Tessa’s head and draped an identical one over her neck. Jordan laughed aloud.

Tessa lifted it with her fingers, studied the phallic plastic and shook her head, grinning. 

“A penis necklace?” Tessa asked, laughing, “Thanks.” 

Jordan leaned in, pressed her lips to Tessa’s cheek before pulling away. 

“You deserve to have fun tonight. Relax a little bit, okay?” 

Jordan sashayed away from her, clutching a bottle of water in her hand. Tessa smiled, watched her go. The other women were raucous, grew loud with drunken laughter. Tessa skirted around the group, watched Jordan laugh and partake in their sexually-based trivia games, encouraged her to dance with strangers and see how many men she could encourage to buy her drinks. 

Jordan went along with the games good-naturedly, handing the drinks off to friends and strangers. She laughed and danced, allowed her friends to tease her about the change she’d soon go through in becoming a wife, and Tessa watched her with a contented smile. She was happy for Jordan. She’d wanted this for as long as she could remember; even at the height of her Olympic fame, her goal had always been to settle down, to marry Charlie, to start a family. 

Tessa found her way to the bar, slid onto a stool and ordered a gin and tonic. When the bartender slid the glass to her, her fingers curled around it, bringing it to her lips. She nursed her drink until it was gone, ordered another. By the time the third drink had appeared in front of her, Jordan was at her side. 

“Hey,” she nudged Tessa once more, another nearly empty bottle of water in her hands. “You good?” 

Tessa nodded, swung her head to look at her sister. 

“I’m good.” Upon noticing the bottle of water, Tessa arched an eyebrow. “You’re not drinking?”

Jordan glanced toward the bottle, laughed softly, shook her head. 

“God, no. I have so much to do over the next two days. If I end up with a hangover, I’ll barely be able to get out of bed.” She eyed the three glasses before Tessa, slid the plastic bottle over to her. “You probably could use some water yourself.” 

Tessa smirked at her, untwisted the cap of the bottle and took a swig of water. When she placed it back on the bar, Jordan slid onto the stool beside her. 

“So,” Jordan spoke slowly, watching her sister’s face, “how’s it going with Scott?” 

Tessa met her eyes, felt the heat rushing to her cheeks, shrugged her shoulders casually. 

“It’s fine,” she dipped her head, desperate for Jordan not to see the flush in her face, “he’s nice.” 

Jordan’s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a smirk. 

“That’s it? You paid six thousand dollars for fine?” She studied her sister, her voice dropping. “What do you guys do in that cottage, anyway?” 

_Mostly I think about what it would be like if Scott’s mouth was on me_, she wanted to say. She thought back to this morning, the memory of her lying on the bed exposed, her legs parted as she waited for him to emerge from the shower. But it was more than that. She thought of the way they’d held hands in bed, the game of Twister they’d played. Tessa smiled to herself, took another sip of her drink to disguise her grin.

“Well,” Tessa spoke after a moment, “we talk. We play games. There’s a surprising variety of board games for a honeymoon cottage. He cooks. He’s actually an amazing cook.”  
Jordan nodded, listening. 

“And the sleeping situation? How’s that been?” 

Tessa lowered her eyes, shrugged once more. 

“He’s been… very respectful.” 

Jordan rolled her eyes, groaned. 

“Respectful? Ugh, that’s not the hot and heavy I was hoping for.” 

Tessa allowed the corners of her lips to turn up in a grin, arching an eyebrow. 

“Oh, no? Are you saying you hoped something would happen between us? We’ve only known each other for a few days.”

It was Jordan’s turn to shrug, her slender shoulders rising and falling in a graceful way. She wore a black sweater that was big on her and it hung off her shoulder, exposing her flawless skin. 

“I just… I saw you guys dancing this morning. I saw the way he looks at you. He likes you, Tess. He likes you in more than a client-hooker way.” 

Tessa’s face went hot, her head tilting back as she laughed over the din of the loud music. 

“I told you, he’s not a hooker!” She smacked her sister’s arm playfully, earning a giggle from her. “I don’t know too much about him, but from what I do know, I can tell that he’s really sweet. He’s considerate. He cares so much about his family. He used to play hockey, but he injured himself.” Tessa was quiet for a moment, thoughtful. “He’s been so accommodating to me since I hurt my hand.” 

Jordan took a quiet breath, her lips parting, her green eyes widening. 

“Oh my God.” 

“What?” Tessa glanced over her shoulder and then back at Jordan, brows furrowed in confusion. 

“You like him!” Jordan cried out, her lips widening into a grin. 

“What?” Tessa repeated, her mouth going dry, “No I don’t!” 

Sure, she’d thought about sleeping with him. She’d considered the thought of his mouth against her most private parts, maybe fantasized about what his fingers would feel like if they slipped past her wet folds, but… she didn’t _like_ him. 

“You totally do! You’re falling for him, aren’t you?” Jordan’s voice went up an octave, unable to contain her excitement. 

“No! Shut up!” Tessa buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. She could feel Jordan’s eyes on her, and when she looked up a moment later, her sister was watching her, grinning. 

“It’s okay, you know.” Her voice was softer now, it no longer contained the teasing edge it had just moments ago. “It’s okay for you to fall in love again.” 

Tessa scoffed, rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t bring herself to meet Jordan’s gaze. 

“I’m not in love,” she snipped, her fingernail scratching a groove in the wood of the bar. When she spoke again, her voice was much quieter. “Lust, maybe.” 

“Lust, love, whatever,” Jordan shook her head. “It’s okay. Look, Brad’s an asshole. You know that now more than ever. You don’t have to spend another minute wondering what could have been with him. It’s time for you to move on, Tess.” 

Tessa watched as Jordan took another sip of her water, let her eyes wander once more to the bar counter. When she moved her finger, she could clearly see that the groove she’d been running her finger over was a lackadaisical S, carved into the wood. The realization took her breath away for a moment and she folded her hands, studied her fingernails. 

“Maybe in another life. Maybe if he was someone else.” Tessa kept her attention on her fingernails. “Besides, I doubt I’d even be able to afford him.” 

“I thought he wasn’t a hooker?” 

“He’s not,” Tessa shot back, raising her eyes. 

“But you’re paying him for sex?” Jordan asked, her eyebrows arched. 

“It’s an extra service!” Tessa defended, “And I haven’t even decided yet. Anyway, I already spent way too much on him. I just can’t find it in myself to justify giving him another thousand dollars to have sex with me when I could find some guy to do it for free.” 

Saying the words aloud felt strange, humiliating, but somehow, freeing. Of course the thought had been circling in her brain since she’d seen that first picture of him, and then after seeing him in the flesh at the bar, the curiosity had only intensified. After he’d unabashedly exposed himself to her while getting out of the shower, she’d barely been able to think of anything else. 

Jordan heaved a sigh, slid off her bar stool. Tessa sat quietly, studying the lime in her drink. When Jordan reappeared at her side a moment later, she wrapped her younger sister in a tight embrace. Her lips pressed against Tessa’s cheek once more, but instead of placing a soft kiss there, she heard Jordan’s voice in her ear. 

“My pin is 6379.”

Jordan pulled away, disappeared back into the crowd of her girlfriends, and Tessa blinked in the direction she’d moved. 

“What?” 

It was too loud to be heard over the music and the gaggle of drunken women. Tessa sat at the bar for another moment, knew she needed to get back to the crowd, and signaled to the bartender as she reached into her coat pocket to retrieve cash for a tip. Her fingers fell on something smooth and rectangular and when she withdrew it, she recognized it as a debit card. But it wasn’t the smooth red card with her name embossed on it, and when she turned it in her hands to study it, she caught sight of the owner’s name in silver letters: _Jordan Virtue_.

Tessa looked up hurriedly in an attempt to catch Jordan’s eyes, but the elder Virtue seemed to do anything she could to avoid meeting Tessa’s gaze. Tessa threw a few bills onto the bar and made her way through the crowd of Jordan’s friends, pushing in close to her sister. 

“What are you doing?” Tessa hissed at her. Jordan turned to her, her hips swaying along to the music that blasted from the speakers above their heads. 

“What are you talking about? I’m dancing, obviously,” Jordan grinned, her body moving, arms rising in the air as she danced. 

“You know what I’m talking about,” Tessa gripped the card, attempted to force it into her hand. Jordan pulled away, twirled Tessa into her arms, effectively slipping her hand back into her pocket. 

“Tess, I have no idea what you mean. I’m just trying to have fun. Do you want to have fun tonight?” Jordan’s eyes met hers, bright and sparkling. “I want you to have fun tonight.” 

Tessa stood watching her for another moment before following her movements, calling out to Jordan over the music. 

“Jordan, I can’t-”

“Yes, you can,” Jordan turned now, no longer feigning ignorance. “You deserve this, Tess. Do you remember the pin?” 

Tessa frowned, sighed softly, and then nodded. 

Jordan’s eyes lit up once more. 

“Great! Then here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to stay here and shut this place down with me. On the way home, you’re going to stop at the ATM and get as much as you need. And when you get back to the cottage… well, I don’t think I need to tell you what to do then.” 

Jordan grinned, and Tessa couldn’t help but return her smile. 

“This is so weird,” Tessa murmured as Jordan put an arm around her, drawing her closer. 

“Oh, it’s fucking crazy,” Jordan laughed. “And it’s exactly what you need.” 

Tessa spent the remainder of the evening telling herself that she wouldn’t go through with Jordan’s insane plan. She’d hold onto the card until the following day, slip it back into Jordan’s purse without her realizing it, and by the time Jordan realized the money hadn’t been withdrawn, Jordan would be in Australia on her honeymoon and Tessa would be safely back in Toronto. 

However, by the time she slid into the back of her Uber to return to the cottage, her body had begun to experience those same longings, the desperate desire to feel Scott’s hands on her skin. She perched impatiently on the seat, pressing her lips together in a futile attempt to prevent herself from asking the driver to stop at each ATM.

As the car began to move from the center of town and into the surrounding area which would eventually lead to their isolated cottage, Tessa leaned forward urgently. 

“Wait!” She spoke up, the driver pressing his foot down instantly on the brake, causing the car’s tires to squeal as they attempted to grasp the pavement. “I’m sorry, can you… I need to…” she pointed ahead of them, to the last ATM on this side of town. “I’ll be quick.” 

The driver pulled to the parking lot of the small bank and Tessa wrapped her count around herself as she climbed out of the car, hurrying to the machine. She dug Jordan’s card from her pocket and slid it into the slot, hugging herself as the machine beeped and invited her to enter her pin. 

With trembling fingers, Tessa pressed the numbers. _6-3-7-9. Enter._

She held her breath, ridiculously paranoid for a moment that this had been some kind of cruel joke on Jordan’s behalf, waiting for the screen to flash that she’d entered the incorrect password. When the screen greeted her with a list of options, including withdrawal, she pressed the corresponding button. 

Hesitating as she stared at the screen, she forced her gloved fingers to type in the numbers. 1000.00. As she stared at the number on the screen, she huffed out a breath of clouded air. God, was that even enough? She’d never asked him about his going rate, even when he’d jokingly offered to tell her. One thousand dollars seemed like a lot for sex considering the entire week had only been six thousand, but what did that one grand entail? Was there a time limit, she wondered? Was it about his pleasure, hers? Both? 

She watched as the machine distributed the cash, slipping it into her coat pocket and grabbing Jordan’s card before scurrying back to the car. The driver was looking at his phone, his face illuminated by the brightness of the screen. When she pulled the rear door open and slid inside, he glanced back toward her. 

“You done?” 

She nodded, unable to find any words. 

The driver put the car into drive, coasted back into the street. As he pulled onto the pavement, he glanced back at her, chuckling. 

“I don’t get many passengers asking to stop at an ATM at two o’clock in the morning,” he laughed, “you gettin’ a hooker or somethin’ like that?” 

Tessa blinked, forced a dry laugh. 

“Yeah. Something like that.” 

Ten minutes later, Tessa slid out of the back of the vehicle and hurried up the stairs to the front door of the cottage. She was trembling, though she was no longer certain it was because of the freezing temperatures. 

She worked the key in the lock and opened the door, stepping into the quiet abode. The lower floor was dark, a soft light emanating from the loft above her. Tessa shrugged out of her jacket, hung it beside the door before slipping her shoes off. She slid one of the unopened condoms into her palm, curled her fingers around it as she walked. 

“Scott?” She called his name quietly, not wanting to wake him if he’d fallen asleep. Jesus, she hoped he hadn’t fallen asleep. She wasn’t sure she’d have the nerve to do this again tomorrow, didn’t know if she could manage to consume enough alcohol again to give her this courage again. 

“Up here,” his voice called, and she took a relieved breath before moving toward the stairs. Her legs felt unsteady and she clutched the railing as she climbed the stairs. Tessa moved slowly, considering her words. She wanted to come off as sexy and self-assured, wanted him to know that even though she’d been drinking, it wasn’t the alcohol that had made her want this. 

She appeared at the top of the stairs, smiling demurely at him as she spotted him on the bed. He was reclining, a magazine in his hands. Upon seeing her, he grinned and sat the magazine on his lap. She noticed that he was in a pair of lounge pants and a white t-shirt, his biceps stretching the fabric just enough to catch her eye.

“Hey,” he greeted her, his voice smooth and sexy, “did you get lucky?” 

Tessa felt the smirk pulling at her lips, kept his eyes as she moved surely toward the bed. She perched on the mattress beside him, felt her breath grow heavy as he studied her face. His hands rested on the magazine on top of his lap. She slid onto his lap, never removing her eyes from his. He took a quiet breath as she straddled him, her knees digging into the mattress on either side of him. 

“No,” she shook her head slowly, lifted one hand to his cheek, her fingertips stroking his jaw. “But I’m about to.” 

She leaned forward, caught his lips. His mouth was warm and she could taste the alcohol he’d undoubtedly consumed at the bachelor party earlier in the evening. She rocked her hips against him, kissed him harder as her hand flexed on his jaw. Their tongues met, the kiss growing deeper, more passionate. 

When she finally pulled away, her heart was racing, the skin of her chest burning beneath his gaze. 

“You’ve been drinking,” he said softly, and she knew it was a warning. He wanted to draw her attention to her clouded judgment, but there was no use. Even sober, she had wanted this. 

“Not nearly enough to be doing this,” she studied his face, leaned in to kiss him once more. She felt his hands move to her hips, his thumbs stroking the fabric. "And so have you."

“I’m not drunk,” he said, though his breath seemed to be growing more irregular. 

“Neither am I,” she countered.

She watched his chest rise and fall, heard the breath leave him. 

“You won’t remember this,” he cautioned her. Tessa studied his lips, his large, dark eyes. 

“You’re the only thing I’ll never forget,” she whispered the words to him. 

She didn’t need to lean in again to kiss him, because his fingers tightened on her hips and he was leaning up to catch her mouth. He kissed her harder, deeper, his fingers curling against her as he did so. 

His lips left hers, and she was ready to protest, but then she felt the warmth of his mouth on her jaw, and then her neck. He continued to kiss down the slope of her shoulder and pulled away only long enough to study the dress she wore. 

She could feel her nipples hardening beneath the sheer mesh, waited for his hands to reach behind her and unclasp the neckline, ready to let him taste and feel the view of her breasts that she’d given him only yesterday morning. Instead, his hands moved to the front of the dress, cupping her breasts gently, his mouth seeking and successfully finding her rose-pink nipples beneath the fabric. 

He caught one in his mouth, his tongue curling over it, working it into a peak as she groaned astride him. The mesh was wet with his saliva, and she could feel the warm of his breath upon it as he sought out the other nipple. Her hands found his shoulders, the fingers of her uninjured hand curling against him. 

She groaned, pushed her chest out and moved her fingers to his hair, tugging on the dark curls. 

“God…” she struggled for breath against the feel of his mouth, desperate to be closer to him. “Your mouth feels so good.” 

The words, and the sexy sound of satisfaction he returned, inspired her. Sliding from his lap, she moved between his legs, palming him through the lounge pants he wore. He was already half-hard, his cock feeling firm and warm beneath her fingers. He groaned, shifted his hips just a bit, still watching her. 

Wordlessly and without hesitation, she moved her fingers to the waistband of his pants, began to tug on them. He lifted his hips, helped her ease them over his groan and to mid-thigh. 

She sucked in her breath at the sight of his erection, barely constrained by the boxer-briefs he wore. She slid her fingers inside them, found his hardening cock and began to stroke it slowly. He let out a breath, his head falling back as her fingers traced the swollen head of his erection. 

“I want to taste you,” she rasped. 

“Jesus,” he groaned, “Tess…” 

That was enough of an invitation for her and she dipped her head, her lips parting to allow his cock entrance. She slid down him in one swift movement, used her tongue to tease the underside of him, tracing his veins and making a slurping noise as she pulled him from her mouth. 

“Fuck,” he hissed, and she smiled to herself, made a satisfied noise in the back of her throat that caused him to buck up against her. She used her hand to grip the base of his cock, her nails scratching tenderly at his balls. She cupped him, squeezed firmly but not painfully so, and she felt him twitch in her hand. 

She took him into her mouth once more, as far as she could, her tongue swirling over the sensitive slit at the head of his penis. His breath was heavy, labored, and she took the unopened condom in her hand. She sat up, the taste of his cock still in her mouth, held it out to him. 

“A little help?” She grinned up at him. 

His fingers, which had begun to thread through her dark hair, took the foil square and tore it open carefully, handing the open condom back to her. 

“Thank you,” she breathed against his erection, blowing a trail of cool air onto him. Scott sighed in pleasure, watching her as she placed the condom onto his penis, unrolling it slowly down his shaft. When he was completely engulfed in the latex, she placed another wet kiss at the head of his penis before giving him another stroke and positioning herself up on her knees. 

She grabbed the skirt of her dress, went to lift it over her hips to pull it off, and then hesitated. Rather than pulling off her dress, she lifted her skirt just enough to pull her panties to the side. He held his cock with one hand as she lined him up with her entrance. There was a moment of quiet between them as they studied one another, and then she was sinking down onto him. 

He wasn’t huge, definitely wasn’t small. He slid into her without needing time to adjust, her snug inner walls gripping him as he buried himself inside her. When she’d sunk onto him fully, she took a shuddering breath, meeting his gaze. His eyes were impossibly large and dark, and she wanted to see more of him, but the ferocity of the situation didn’t seem to allow for it, and before she could tug his shirt over his head, she’d already started to rock her hips. 

He thrust up to meet her movements, his fingers gripping her hips in an attempt to guide her, but he seemed to realize that she needed no help, and let his hands fall to his sides. She rode him, rising and falling, her muscles tensing and releasing around him. Her hand lifted her dark hair from her back, piled it into a messy bun at the top of her head as she bucked her hips with him sheathed inside her. 

She began to grind against him as she moved, the pleasure already beginning to tingle in her lower abdomen as she did so. She was breathing harder, panting his name as his hands moved once more, slid beneath her skirt to find the swollen bundle of nerves between her thighs. 

He couldn’t see himself disappearing into her, her skirt covered both of their bodies, but she knew he could feel it. He could feel the tightness, her warmth. He could feel the way her muscles clenched around him, spasming with pleasure as he began to circle the tiny nub at the apex of her thighs. 

Tessa whimpered, let her head fall back at the pleasure of this coupling. She could feel her thighs beginning to tremble, knew that after three months of abstinence and her edging session earlier the morning before, it wouldn’t take her long to reach climax. But she wanted this to last. The ridiculous thought that she wanted to get her money’s worth ran through her mind, quickly put aside by the fact that Scott was now meeting her thrust for thrust. 

“Oh, Scott,” she whimpered his name, “I’m not gonna… fuck, I’m gonna…” 

He leaned in, his lips finding her once more, leaving wet kisses along the juncture of her jaw and her neck. His fingers were incessant in their motions, circling her clit with the expertise of a man who had made love to many women before. 

Only, that’s not what this was; this wasn’t making love. There was a thousand dollars in her coat pocket downstairs that begged that difference. This was fucking. Impenitent, blatant fucking. And from the way her body was tightening around his, Tessa knew better than to pretend she cared. 

“Come for me,” he urged her, “you’re close. I can feel you.” 

“Uh huh,” she breathed, her hips stuttering at the first electric feel of her orgasm building within her. “I’m close. So fucking…”

She came with a gasp, her thighs tightening around him, her hand clutching for his shoulders. He continued to stimulate her with his fingers as she shook, breathlessly whispering his name. He cursed at the tightness surrounding him, his fingers stilling as she arched away from them, her body growing sensitive. 

“Jesus fuck, Tess. You can come again,” he whispered, hands moving to her hips now, keeping her sheathed on him. “I can make you come again.” 

“No,” she panted, shook her head, “it’s your turn.” 

He didn’t argue with her, but he began to thrust into her purposefully, and she suspected she knew his intention. He wanted her to come with him, wanted both of them to fall over that precipice together, but she needed to be able to study him as his orgasm overcame him. 

His jaw clenched, his eyes closing as he fucked up into her, his cock buried within her. Tessa began to rock her hips once more, squeezing her inner muscles to continue simulating the feel of her own orgasm, and she feel from the way he seemed to swell within her that it was working. 

“Oh, fuck,” he groaned, “Tessa.” 

“That’s right,” she grinned, rocking her hips wickedly against him, “Say my name. I’m the one making you feel this way. And I’m not that girl from the bar. I’m not Jane. I’m Tessa fucking Virtue.” 

Her words sent him over the edge and he let out a final groan as he thrust into her, semen spilling into the condom she’d slipped onto him. His hips bucked a few more times, desperate to get as deep as he could, and Tessa panted, watching his face as it contorted with pleasure.

It was nearly enough to bring her to orgasm again, her muscles twitching around him. When he was spent, he fell back against the pillows, a thin sheen of sweat covering both of them. 

She sat astride him for another long moment before sliding off and onto the bed beside him. He lay panting beside her before rolling off the bed and moving into the washroom. When he returned a moment later, Tessa was curled on her side in the dim light, watching him. 

What would she say now? She wondered. What could she possibly say to make this less awkward? Scott slid onto the bed beside her, turning to meet her eyes. 

“You’re beautiful, Tessa Virtue. Forget Jane. Forget that woman at the bar.” He leaned in, caught her lips once more, surprising her. When he pulled back, his eyes were still as dark as they had been when he’d been buried inside her. “You don’t need to be anyone else. You’re you. You’re incredible.”

She wasn’t sure what to say to that, didn’t know if she’d ever be able to find the words to respond to such a gentle compliment. His fingers reached for her once more, and she expected him to touch her, but he lifted the plastic penis necklace from her chest, studied it before laughing. 

“So did you have fun at the party?” He asked, tracing his fingertips over her jawline. 

She turned, kissed his fingertips even as she felt her drowsiness beginning to settle. 

“I had more fun at the after-party,” she smiled at him. “Playing Twister without the board. And this time, we both won.”


	10. Tessa Wants Scott... But Learning to Play Hockey Would Be Nice, Too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't the chapter I wanted to post before I leave for Canada (and RTR!) on Wednesday morning, but it was either post now or wait until I get back this weekend, so I figured I might as well go ahead and share. I know we only have a couple weeks left, but I don't have any plans to stop writing VM anytime soon. Thank you all for reading, and thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review. It means more than you could possibly know.

Tessa woke on her side, blinking into the sun. She took a soft breath, eyes falling upon the man lying beside her. His breath was even, heavy, his eyes closed. Instantly, she remembered the night before. He’d been concerned that she wouldn’t, but the memory came back to her as clear as crystal. She could still feel his lips on her skin, the way he’d parted her as he’d slid inside. 

She wanted to reach out and touch him, card her fingers through his dark hair, but the thought of waking him stopped her. He was so peaceful, just like this. The gravity of what had occurred last night wouldn’t truly affect them until he was awake, until they were forced to deal with this. But wasn’t this just part of the job for him? How many women had he woken up beside like this in his time as an escort? This wasn’t out of the usual for him, only for her. 

She’d meant what she’d said last night, when he’d challenged her memory. You’re the only thing I’ll never forget. And how could she? How would she ever be able to forget the way he’d made her feel last night, his hands and mouth worshipping her like a goddess? 

She hesitated, watching him as his eyelids twitched in dreams. She wondered what he dreamt of, wished she could crawl into his brain and brush any unpleasant thoughts from his mind. He shifted in his sleep, dislodging the blankets from around him, causing his pants legs to rise up. 

She held her breath, hesitant to breathe too loud, to disrupt him from this slumber. She could have watched him sleep forever, but her bladder was full and the discomfort was too much to bear. She shifted on the mattress, kicked the sheets from her own feet and sat up. Her eyes caught a faint white scar on his exposed shin and, without hesitation, her finger reached out to trace it. 

It wasn’t large, no more than three inches, but she knew it was the result of the surgery he’d told her about, the one that had taken him out of playing hockey. Her heart ached as she studied it, wishing that things had gone differently for him, that he hadn’t suffered such a debilitating condition. But, as he’d said that first night, if it hadn’t happened, would he be here right now? Would he be just below her fingertips, the scent of him still on her skin? Of course not. 

Everything happened for a reason. 

She pushed herself off the mattress and padded to the washroom, cracking the door behind her as she lowered herself to the toilet and released her bladder. Sometime after their tryst last night, she’d managed to pull off her dress and slip into a white t-shirt that she only now realized didn’t belong to her. Her breath caught in her throat as she buried her face in it, inhaling his scent. 

It was warm on her skin, it felt like his arms were snug around her, but she needed a shower and to brush her teeth before Scott woke up. He wouldn’t have forgotten last night, either, and she didn’t want him to wake and see her this way, her hair askew and makeup smudging her eyes. She shrugged out of the shirt and folded it carefully, placed it on the sink counter before leaning in and turning on the spray of the water. 

She tested the temperature with her fingers, stepped inside when steam began to rise from the stream. The water cascaded down her body, thrumming against her pale skin. She closed her eyes, allowed the shower to soak her hair, rivulets of water dripping down the length of her body. 

She reached for the shampoo, pausing as she heard the creak of the washroom door before she saw it open. Scott’s dark head appeared around the corner, his hair mussed with sleep. There was a tired smile on his face, and through the glass of the shower door, their eyes met. 

She felt shy suddenly, nearly moved to cover herself before allowing her hands to fall at her side. He hadn’t seen all of her last night thanks to their frenzied actions, but he’d become familiar with the topography of her body. He’d been inside her and had felt the tightening of her walls as she’d climaxed, and that was much more intimate than even seeing the pink space between her thighs. 

He moved toward the shower, keeping her eyes, his hand moving to rest on the door’s handle. He didn’t speak, he didn’t need to; she took her lower lip between her teeth and nodded wordlessly. Scott was already tugging his shirt and pants off, sliding out of his boxer-briefs and opening the shower door. He stepped inside to join her, the warmth of his body instantly overwhelming her as he pressed himself close to her. 

Tessa studied him, wondering if he’d make the first move this time. She’d done it last night, sliding onto his lap, giving him unspoken permission to take things further. She’d done it the night before as well; she’d caught his mouth and kissed him, hard and deep. It was his turn. 

As if he could read her thoughts, his fingertips traced over her jaw and then her chin, tilting her face to his to kiss her. It was softer this morning, not as frenzied as it had been the previous night, their bodies desperate for one another in a way that she wasn’t sure she’d ever experienced. 

His hands traced up her flat belly and over her sternum, thumbs brushing her nipples into hard pebbles as he kissed her. She moaned into his mouth, felt the chill of ecstasy as it rippled up her spine. Tessa allowed her fingers to curl against his chest in a desperate attempt to be closer to him. 

She exhaled, watched as his hand slid down her body and waited for him to part her thighs, hitch her leg against the wall of the shower and enter her just as he had last night. But when his fingers found her folds, rather than encouraging her to part her legs for him to enter her, he began to sink onto his knees. Tessa gasped softly, her hand flying down to tangle in Scott’s hair. 

“Scott…” she whispered his name, looking down at him. “You don’t have to…” 

“Shh, Tess,” he whispered, his mouth dangerously close to the apex of her thighs, “I want to.” 

And God, she wanted it, too. She wanted it more than she could remember wanting anything in recent history. 

When his mouth found her, she let out a guttural moan and bucked against him, threading her fingers through his dark curls. His mouth flexed, lips capturing the bundle of nerves between her legs. Tessa gasped, parted her legs further for him. She used her fingernails to scratch gently at his scalp, pressing her back against the shower wall. 

“Oh, fuck, Scott,” she whimpered, pressing him closer into her, wanting desperately to be consumed by the feel of his tongue and lips. 

He licked and sucked, pulling her folds gently between his lips and working his jaw against her soaked sex. She felt her knees trembling as he lapped at her, working to steady herself between the wall and his touch. She groaned, let her head fall back against the wall, her chest rising and falling with the exertion of her breath. 

“God,” she gasped, “Yes, Scott. You’re so good. You make me feel so good.” 

He hummed, and the sound reverberated through his mouth and into her clit. She cried out, clutched at his head as he drew her orgasm from her. She took a shuddering breath, whimpering his name as she climaxed. 

He drew her closer to him, his mouth continuing to work at her until she became so sensitive that she pushed him away gently, gasping with laughter. He stood to his full height, and she pressed herself to her toes to catch his mouth. She kissed him, the taste of her still on his tongue. She moaned into his mouth, panted as he pulled away. 

“You taste so good,” he whispered the words against the shell of her ear, his mouth licking and nipping the skin just below her earlobe. Tessa shuddered, rested against his chest, her hand already beginning to seek his hardening cock once more. His hand caught hers, stilling it. 

“Tess, it’s not… I didn’t do it so you would…” 

“I know,” she kissed his chest, allowed her tongue to dart out and taste his skin. “I want to.” 

Her hand found him and she began to stroke him firmly and quickly. He let out a quiet grunt as she worked him in her palm, allowing her hand to grasp the base of his shaft before making a tunnel with her fingers and encouraging him to thrust into it. 

He was already breathless, semi-erect from being between her thighs, and it didn’t take long before his cock was twitching in her hand. She kept his eyes, continually worked her hand against him, made a show of wetting her lips and biting her lower lip as she did so. 

It didn’t take long, not more than three minutes, before Scott’s cock was throbbing in her hand, thick white ropes of come splattering against the tile wall and dripping down, swirling into the steady stream of water. Scott kissed her hard once more, and then held her close to him, his softening cock still twitching against his leg as they stood beneath the showerhead. 

They held each other in the shower, kissing and touching the exposed skin of one another’s bodies before eventually working the soap and shampoo into a lather, cleaning and rinsing themselves. They remained in the shower until the water ran cold once more, Tessa giggling and peeling away from the stream as it chilled her skin. 

She wrapped herself in a towel after stepping out of the shower, grinning at Scott as he joined her and ruffled a towel through his hair. Aside from their whispered please and cries of ecstasy, they hadn’t even spoken to one another this morning. She leaned into him, pressed herself to his muscled chest. 

“Good morning,” she whispered, her large green eyes peering up at him seductively. 

“Morning,” he grinned in response. “How’d you sleep?” 

“Well, I slept okay,” she shrugged, “but after that shower I feel like I need a nap.” 

He laughed, cupped her ass as she turned to pad back into the bedroom. She yelped, looked back at him with a playful gaze before wiggling her hips at him. His eyes went dark with lust once more, and she sashayed from the washroom. 

“We have the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner tonight,” she called to him as she made her way to the closet. “We have to be at the church by five, but I was wondering if you wanted to do something together before then.” 

Scott emerged from the bathroom, his towel tied around his waist. His face was smooth and kind, soft pink lips curved into a smile. 

“Yeah? Something together?” His voice took on a lively tone, and she rolled her eyes at him playfully. 

“Maybe something besides that,” she clarified, “though that’s quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do.” 

He chuckled softly, and when she allowed her towel to drop to slip her bra on, he averted his gaze. There was something kind and unassuming about the gesture, that despite the fact that she’d unabashedly shown him every inch of her skin, he still respected her enough to look away when he hadn’t been invited to gaze upon her. 

“Yeah? What are you thinking?” He called across the room. 

Tessa pulled on a pair of leggings and a t-shirt, turning back to glance at him. He was in the process of pulling on his own clothes, and she forced herself to look away as well, though not before taking in the curve of his toned ass. 

“Well,” she sank onto the bed, meeting his eyes as he turned to look at her. “You did offer to teach me how to play hockey…” 

A grin spread across his face as he turned fully to her, tugging his shirt over his head. 

“Yeah? You actually want to?” 

Tessa nodded, pulled her feet beneath her. 

“Yeah. Though I don’t know how good I’ll be with this thing on my hand.” 

He made his way over to her, leaning down to kiss her gently. 

“Well, I guess I’ll have to be extra careful with you, wont I?” 

She smirked against his lips. 

“Oh, that’s too bad. I kinda like it rough.” 

He laughed again, sliding his arms around her, tugging her closer to him. She rested against his chest, closing her eyes as he ran his fingers down the length of her spine. 

It was odd, being this way with him, feeling so safe in his arms. They’d only known each other for a few days and it was crazy to think that this could become something more than the business relationship it had begun as. His touch, though, was warm, comforting. 

It terrified her to feel this way, scared her to think that this was perhaps only part of the job for him and that she had foolishly allowed herself to believe that it was more than that. But when he looked at her this way, his soft lips turned into a smile and his eyes crinkling with happiness, she wanted to believe that it went beyond business as usual. 

“You know, Tess,” he cleared his throat, slid his hands to her hips, “I think we-”

The chirp of her cell phone interrupted him, both of their eyes moving toward the sound. She remembered suddenly that she’d never removed the phone from the pocket of her coat the previous evening. She’d been so distracted by the thought of Scott, desire to seduce him, that she hadn’t even plugged it in to charge. 

“That’s my...” her voice faded and he nodded. 

“Yeah. I’ll grab it. Stay there, okay? There’s something I want to say to you.” 

Tessa took a step back, perched on the edge of the mattress once more, nodding wordlessly. 

He cast one more look at her, an easy grin pressing across his lips before he disappeared down the stairs. She pulled her legs to her chest, rested her head on her knees as she smiled. 

She heard her phone stop ringing downstairs and wondered if it had been Jordan calling with a change of schedule. There was silence from the lower floor, a moment of hesitation.

“Scott?” She called his name. “Who was it?” 

He didn’t respond, and she heard his footsteps on the steps as he moved back upstairs. He reached the landing and she smiled at him, reached out her hand for her phone. 

He didn’t return her smile but placed her phone firmly in her hand, his eyes avoiding hers. 

“What’s wrong?” She wondered, furrowing her brows, “did something-”

In a quick motion, his hand slid into his pocket, and a second later the chunk of cash landed beside her on the mattress. Her eyes moved to study it, realizing in a moment what it was. 

“Oh.” It was the only thing she could think of to say, suddenly feeling sick at the sight of the money before her. “Scott, that’s not what it looks like.”

He looked up at her, face creased with hurt. 

“Okay, then what is it?” 

He stood before her expectantly, watching her with his wide dark eyes. 

“Well, it’s…” she hesitated, curling her fingers into her lap, “I got it out of the ATM last night, but I didn’t-”

“On the way home from the bachelorette party?” He asked. 

Tessa pressed her lips together, nodded. 

“Yes, but I-”

“You’re four hundred dollars short, by the way,” his voice took on a sudden edge, one hand extending toward Tessa in a frustrated gesture. 

“What?!” Tessa’s legs unfolded, her feet pressing against the floor, “Are you serious? It’s fourteen-hundred dollars for sex?” 

“No,” he glared at her, “It’s a thousand for last night. The four-hundred is for what I did to you in the shower this morning.” 

Tessa scoffed, her lips parting in disbelief. 

“Scott, come on.” 

“What? You were going to pay me for sex!” 

“Of course I was going to pay you for sex!” She retorted, “You’re an escort! All you’ve talked about since Monday is your varied range of services!” 

His eyes narrowed, shaking his head at her in disappointment. 

“Don’t you think if I was going to charge you for sex I would have asked for the money up front? You know, before you had an orgasm?” 

Tessa sucked her breath in quietly, eyebrows furrowing. 

“Scott… you have to believe me, it’s not like that. I mean… I didn’t expect that to happen. Obviously I wanted it to happen, but it wasn’t like I’d been planning it out. I just thought…” she caught his eye, hating the sudden look of betrayal on his face. She could feel her face flushing and despised the fact that he could see it as well, hated that she was seemingly incapable of disguising her emotions. “I had an itch that needed to be scratched.”

His face seemed to crumple and she immediately regretted her words. 

“That’s it?” He demanded, “Jesus, Tessa, I thought I was more to you than a back-scratcher you could have purchased at the dollar store.” 

“Scott,” she groaned, “that’s not fair. You know I don’t think of you like that. You’re…” she glanced away from him, clenching her jaw. “God I’m terrible at this. Can I just… can you sit?” 

He hesitated for a moment, frowning. Slowly, he moved toward the bed and perched on the edge of it beside her. They were mere feet apart, but the distance that had grown between them since this morning felt overwhelming. 

“You know I’m not a really outgoing person, Scott. I haven’t had many relationships, and Brad was the first guy who really made me feel special. And… you see how that ended.” She swallowed, waited for his response, but when he didn’t speak, she continued. “And when we met, I didn’t expect to… I didn’t expect this to be anything but the two of us showing up at these wedding events together, pretending to laugh and faking a relationship. And then…”

“And then what?” He finally asked. 

“And then you made me feel a way I haven’t felt in a really, really long time. You made me feel special. You made me feel like I deserved to be happy, and when I kissed you the other night, it wasn’t because of the pills or the alcohol. It wasn’t because I didn’t know what I was doing. It was because I knew exactly what I wanted. And you’re the one who told me that I should go after what I want. And I’m doing it.”

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. 

“And what do you want?” He asked. 

She couldn’t find the right words, knew that she would say the wrong thing and hurt him more. She stared hard out the window across from the bed, watching as snow flurried in the air. _You_, she wanted to say. _You’re what I want. Your laugh, your body, your smile. I want all of it now and forever._

“I’ve never done this before,” she said after a moment of quiet, “And I know that this is just a job for you. But it’s not for me. It meant so much more than fourteen-hundred dollars. And I should have spoken to you about it before I withdrew the money, but I thought… maybe if it happened this way, you’d realize it wasn’t about the money for me.” 

She wanted desperately to look at him, longed for that kindness that she’d seen on his face this morning. He remained quiet, though she could hear his breath. She held her breath, closed her eyes. She could feel tears blurring her vision, fought with everything she had not to let them slip down her cheeks. 

“You’re wrong, though,” he said, his voice quiet. 

She opened her eyes, glanced toward him. 

“What?” 

“You’re wrong,” he looked up at her, his forehead creased with concern. “I’ve never done this before. I mean…” he sounded embarrassed for a moment, “I have, obviously. But I’ve never done this with anyone like you.” 

“Really?” She could barely find her voice, but she wanted to beg him to continue. 

“Yeah, really. I don’t actually _do_ weddings.” 

She looked toward him with confused eyes, shaking her head. 

“But…” her brain searched for the words, but it came up blank. “But you’re-”

“Yeah, I’m here,” he met her eyes. “I’ve never said yes to a wedding. This is the first one.”

“Why me?” She asked, “Why this wedding?” 

He shrugged, his shoulders seeming to weigh him down. 

“I’m not really sure. Maybe I was desperate. Maybe I needed the money.” He paused. “Maybe I just felt myself drawn to you.” 

There was a long moment of silence between them. Tessa focused on her breathing and the thrum of her heart. It was so loud, so powerful, that she felt as if each beat rocked her body. She wondered if Scott could feel it. 

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. 

“You never answered my question,” he responded. 

Tessa looked toward him, uncertain. 

“You never told me what it is you want.”

She chewed on her lip. 

“I want…” the heaviness pressed down on her chest, the pressure of being in this moment, having this conversation with a man that she barely knew but felt so inexplicably strongly for. “I want you to teach me to play hockey.” 

He was quiet for a long moment and she sat still, waiting for his response. Finally, a tiny smile stretched his lips. 

“So, what you’re saying is…” he glanced toward the bills that had been discarded on the bed. “That money is for a private hockey lesson?” 

Tessa laughed despite herself, turned her face into her shoulder. 

“Yeah. That’s what I’m saying.” 

Scott stood, leaving the money on the bed. His hand reached for hers and she slipped her fingers into his grasp. 

“Well, then. Let’s hit the ice.” 

\--

Scott watched as Tessa laced her skates, hockey sticks secure in his hand as she sat to her full height. 

“You good?” He offered her a hand as she rose from the bench, and she took it only briefly because it felt wrong to refuse him. When she stepped onto the frozen pond, she found her footing and took a few graceful strides before turning to look at him. 

“Nice,” he commented on her movement, “looks like Jordan isn’t the only skater in your family.” 

Tessa smiled, shrugged. 

“I spent a lot of time at rinks when I was growing up. It gave me something to do.” 

“But you weren’t interested in competition?” He wondered, moving alongside her. 

Tessa blinked at him, forced a smile. 

“I did competitions. I was in gymnastics and I played tennis and golf. But I didn’t see the point in trying to be the best at something that Jordan would always be better at.” 

“That doesn’t sound like the Tessa I know,” Scott huffed, glancing sideways at her. 

“Yes, well,” she slid to a stop beside him, “the Tessa you know is very different from the Tessa I used to be.” 

He narrowed his eyes at her, tilted his head. 

“Because of Brad?” He wondered. Tessa pressed her lips together in a line, reached out to take a hockey stick from his hand. 

“No. Because, as you said, sometimes dreams don’t come true.” 

He studied her for another moment before offering her a soft smile. 

“Yeah,” he agreed, his eyes studying her green eyes and then the fullness of her lips. “But sometimes they do.” 

Tessa gave him a tiny smile before nudging him with her hip. 

“You gonna teach me to play or what, Coach?” 

He grinned at her, placed the blade of the stick on the ice. 

“All right, impatient. First, you need to learn the three S’s of hockey. Shooting,” he pretended to hit a puck, “skating, and stick handling.” 

Tessa felt the corners of her lips turn up, felt the cold flush her cheeks. 

“Well, I’ve got two out of three of those mastered.” 

He arched an eyebrow at her. 

“I know how to skate, and…” she pressed herself close to him, gripped the shaft of the hockey stick and ran her fingers down the length of it, “I’d like to think I’m fairly adept at stick handling.”

He laughed, really laughed for the first time since that morning, and she felt a proud smile tugging across her features. 

“Yeah,” he nodded, “I’d say you are.” 

Tessa giggled, watched as his eyes lit up with laughter. 

“Okay,” she straightened her spine, “so, skating. Stick handling. That leaves shooting. That sounds easy enough.” 

“Oh, no,” he positioned his own stick over the ice, “shooting is the most difficult part.” With the blade of his stick, he slid the puck around his feet. “You have to be able to navigate your body and the puck at the same time. You have to be quick on your feet, as swift as a cat.” In a flash, he darted around her, raised his stick and hit the puck. He and Tessa both watched as it went soaring across the ice, nestling into the makeshift goal at the far end of the pond. 

Tessa looked toward him, impressed. 

“Lucky shot.” 

“Not luck,” he tilted his head toward her, “skill.” 

She laughed, leaned in and kissed the smirk from his face. She could still feel the distance between them from this morning, the feeling that although things had been settled between them, there was still an unspoken misunderstanding that hadn’t been resolved. She wanted to kiss that feeling of loneliness away, wanted to beg him to forget that it had ever happened. 

“Well,” she said, pulling away from him and positioning her own stick on the ice, “you’re skilled at many different things. But, you know… I have my own unique set of skills.”

“That you do,” he grinned at her, watching her as she aligned her stick with the puck beneath it. It was nearly impossible to hold the handle with one hand, and she felt clumsy and ungraceful as she attempted to manipulate the unwieldy item. 

She stuttered, her hand knocking the stick hard enough to send the puck a few feet away. She could see the bemused look on his face beside her, purposely avoided his gaze as she chased the small black disk. 

She positioned herself once more over the puck, hand trembling with the weight of the heavy wooden stick. She attempted to use her left hand to steady the object, but it was too much to bear the weight on her injured hand.

Suddenly, Scott was there behind her, his body pressing against hers, arms slipping around her waist. He cupped her hand within his own, positioning her grip on the handle of the stick and giving her the support she needed to be able to swing it. 

“Now,” his breath was warm in her ear despite the frigid temperature, “you steady your shot, line it up… pull back and…” his arms still embracing her, hands wrapped around hers, he swung the hockey stick forward, both of them watching as it sailed across the ice and into the goal. 

“Oh, nice shot,” he said, sounding impressed, “that’s a beauty. Perfect.” 

Tessa looked toward him, her green eyes studying his face. He caught her eyes, his passionate gaze leaving her breathless. She took in his features, the sharp edge of his jaw, the way his dark brown eyes sparkled with passion. His hair was disheveled from the wind, swept back from his face in a way that made her ache with affection for him. 

“Yeah,” she breathed, her breath forming clouds in the air before them, “it is, isn’t it?”


	11. Tessa Curses In Church (Shit, That's a Sin, Right?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have returned from the Great North and RTR. It was cold... really cold. The show itself was beyond words. And Tessa spoke to me, which was... incredible. I can't really put into words my thoughts on the show, so I spent the entire way home instead crafting this chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Tessa didn’t expect to see Brad again, at least not in the same week, not here. Initially, when she saw the sweep of his hair as she and Scott made their way into the mid-sized church for the ceremony rehearsal, she felt her chest tighten up and thought for a terrible moment she might bolt from the room with tears in her eyes. However, when he turned toward her and she saw the swelling in his face, she had to suppress a giggle. 

The area beneath his eyes were a ghastly purple-black color, the sockets swollen and bulging. Brad narrowed his eyes when he saw her; at least she thought he narrowed his eyes. It was difficult to tell, considering that his eyes were still nearly swollen shut. His face went red, and though he turned away almost immediately, she felt Scott shift beside her, pressing himself closer to her. 

“What’s he doing here?” Scott bristled and Tessa frowned, turning toward him. 

“He’s an usher, I guess,” she mumbled softly, “though I don’t know how he’ll be able to see to guide anyone to their seat with his eyes swollen like that.” 

Scott tittered beside her and she felt pride swell within her; not just pride that she’d been able to make Scott laugh, but also that she had done such damage to Brad’s face. 

Tessa wasn’t an advocate of violence, of course. In fact, Brad was the first person she’d ever truly punched, unless she counted the self-defense dummies she’d practiced on when she’d taken the course a few years ago. She and Jordan had taken the classes together shortly after Jordan had been cornered by a group of young men while leaving the rink one evening. They hadn’t harmed her, at least not physically, but Tessa recalled her haunted eyes as she’d recounted the tale to her and their mother the following day. 

Jordan was one of the strongest women Tessa knew, and seeing how the experience had affected her encouraged Tessa to ask her older sister if she could take the class with her when Jordan had mentioned the idea. They’d spent four weeks learning jabs and ducks on top of learning how to be aggressive with their safety. Tessa could bring a man (or a woman) to her knees with the use of a simple ballpoint pen, though up to this point in her life, she’d never needed to use any of her newly-acquired skills. They’d taken the class with the intent to protect themselves against threats, after all, and, okay, maybe Brad hadn’t been planning to choke her out, but forced physical affection definitely still counted as a threat. 

Scott sighed beside her, his dark eyes tracking Brad as he crossed the church. Tessa looked around, locating Jordan near the front of the pews before hurrying toward her. 

“I think we should ask him, I just-” She was in the middle of speaking when she spotted Tessa, “Hey!” She slid an arm easily around her younger sister, pulling her close. “Did you find the church okay?” 

“Yeah,” Tessa nodded, “not a problem.” 

Jordan released Tessa from her grasp and moved toward Scott, hugging him as well. She peered behind him at the group of bridesmaids and groomsmen who were casually gathered at the other end of the aisle. 

“Hey, Scott, can I, uh…” Jordan caught Charlie’s eye suddenly, waving him over with a desperate gesture. “Charlie and I have a huge favor to ask.” 

Charlie appeared beside her, grinning. His mop of dark blonde hair had been brushed back, exposing a tiny scar at the top center of his forehead, left there by a rock he’d fallen on while trying to impress Jordan with a skateboard trick at thirteen. 

Charlie didn’t ride skateboards anymore and the injury had required six stitches, but he had won Jordan’s heart, so he considered the experience an overall success. 

Tessa smiled at her future brother-in-law and he reached out, touched her cheek briefly in the affectionate way he’d done since she’d been four-years-old and watching him with wide green eyes full of awe. 

“So, one of my cousins…not Brad…” he spoke softly, rolling his eyes at the man’s name, “was scheduled to be a groomsman. He ended up getting called into work this morning, which wouldn’t be a problem except for the fact that he’s a heart surgeon living in Texas. So, even if he would make it back for the wedding tomorrow, which is unlikely, he’d be coming off a double shift, a twelve-hour surgery and less than an hour of sleep. And the reason I’m telling you all of this is because Jordan…” he looked toward his bride-to-be, who beamed at him, “and I were hoping you could step in and take his place. We have the tux and he’s just about your size. I know it’s last minute and probably really odd because you don’t really know-”

“I’ll do it,” Scott nodded, giving Jordan and Charlie an easy grin, “I’d be honored.” 

Scott’s hand reached down, took Tessa’s within his own and squeezed it gently. She smiled over at him, feeling the electric jolt that coursed through her body at his slight touch. 

“Really?!” Jordan gasped, clapping her hands together. “Oh, Scott, thank you!” She hugged him once more, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him into her embrace. Scott laughed, glancing toward Tessa, who shrugged helplessly, before patting Jordan’s back softly. 

“It’s my pleasure, honestly,” he assured her. “Just tell me what to do and where to go.” 

Tessa pressed her lips together, watching him with an amused smile. She could imagine him suddenly in his tuxedo, his tie complementing her dark pink maid of honor dress. She could feel his arms encircling her as he twirled her around the dance floor, lips precariously close to the delicate skin of her neck. 

He would hold her close, closer than necessary, she knew, and their bodies would press together in a rhythm very similar to the way they had last night and then again this morning in the shower. And then, when the music came to a stop at the end of the night, the lights of the venue chasing away all the shadows, they would return to their cottage and they would make love, and somehow that term suddenly felt wholly more suitable than fucking. 

Maybe it was because of his soft touches, or the way he smiled at her. Maybe it was the way he’d cradled her body against his earlier this afternoon when they’d played hockey. Maybe it was just because she was a woman and he was a man, and this suddenly felt like so much more than mindless sex. Spending so much time with him, waking up beside him and falling asleep with the heat of his body pressing against her, she was beginning to grow accustomed to it. 

And… after the reception and the wedding were over, what then? They would drive back to Toronto together, of course. She would drop him off at his home, watch as he walked up the pathway to his front door before disappearing inside. Would he text her later that night, or show up at her office one morning with coffee and flowers? Is that what she was expecting from him now? 

Or, would they part ways? Would they consider this an extraordinary circumstance and carry on with their lives as if this had never happened? Would Scott continue to work as an escort, sleeping in beds with other women, the memory of Tessa barely a blip on his radar? 

As she looked at his smooth, sweet face, she couldn’t imagine going back to that life of loneliness and cynicism, no longer mourning the loss of the man who had broken her heart, but now lonely and desperate for the man who hadn’t. 

Scott seemed to sense the hesitance in her face and his eyebrows furrowed, concern marking his features. 

Tessa shook her head, dismissing his concerns. Ultimately, this was something that they would need to discuss in detail. They, together, would need to decide if their relationship (was it a relationship?) was something that they would continue to work on once this week had ended. And if it was, if Scott was interested in continuing to see Tessa, there was the small detail of his occupation. In her mind, Tessa had almost unconsciously decided that she wanted to pursue something with Scott, but she would never be able to deal with him traveling the world with other women, sleeping in their beds and pretending to love them while she waited for him to return. 

“So am I walking down the aisle with Tess?” He glanced toward her, shooting her a conspiratorial smile. She felt herself blushing at his words alone and wondered how in the hell she’d be able to conduct herself with him pressed against her on the dance floor. 

“No,” Jordan said, “the maid of honor walks with the best man, Charlie’s best friend since third grade… aside from me, of course.” 

Jordan looked toward Charlie, her smile causing tiny dimples to press into her cheeks. Charlie returned the affectionate gaze, leaning in to press a kiss upon her cheek. 

“Believe me, love, Henry doesn’t hold a candle to you.” 

Their eyes met for a brief moment and Tessa found herself unable to look away from the couple, her heart swelling in her chest at the expression of adoration on their faces. Jordan smiled at him, her pretty face only gaining beauty as the curl of her lips reached her eyes, causing them to crinkle slightly. 

It was almost too lovely to observe, the culmination of over two decades of friendship and childhood crushes blooming into real, mature, unconditional love. Still, there was something in Jordan’s face; the tremble of her lower lip, the glassy look in her eyes, that told Tessa there was undoubtedly an unspoken thought stirring in her older sister’s brain. 

“You’ll be escorting Jordan’s friend Sarah down the aisle,” Charlie said after a moment, almost reluctantly breaking the eye contact with Jordan. He ducked his head, raised a finger toward one of the blonde women behind Scott. “She’s right there. And she’s going to love Scott, so you better claim your man, Tess.” 

“Charlie, stop!” Jordan squealed, tapping her grinning fiancée’s arm playfully. “That’s so not true. Sarah has a boyfriend… and besides,” she lowered her voice, meeting Tessa’s eyes boldly, “Tessa already claimed her man, didn’t you, Tess?” 

She wiggled her eyebrows at Tessa, who immediately flushed crimson. Beside her, Scott grinned like a fool. Tessa dropped her eyes to the floor, the memory of lowering herself onto Scott’s lap last night fresh in her mind. She thought of the look of pleasure on his face as his orgasm had overtaken him then, and again this morning. Tessa could feel Jordan watching her gleefully and glanced up to speak, but the officiant had made his way down the aisle and was instructing her older sister that they were prepared to begin the rehearsal. 

Scott was promptly carted off by Charlie and she watched as he introduced himself to Sarah. He was respectful, his head bowing and his hand extending for a casual handshake. Tessa felt an illogical sense of relief when Sarah regarded him with no more curiosity than a casual acquaintance. 

“All right, Tess!” Jordan squealed excitedly, “This is it! It’s the first official run-through. Are you nervous? I’m kind of nervous. Is it hot in here, because I’m feeling a little flushed.” 

Tessa laughed and placed her hands on her older sister’s shoulders. 

“Hey, there is no reason be nervous, okay? I’m here, Mom and Dad are here. Charlie is here. You’re surrounded by the people who love you most in the world. This isn’t a competition, Jord. This is just for you and Charlie. This isn’t about anyone but the two of you.” 

Jordan’s eyes welled with tears and she pulled Tessa in for a hug, her arms steady and strong as she clutched her sister to her chest. She pulled away with a sniffle, using the second knuckle of her index finger to wipe away a stray tear. 

“I love you, Tess,” Jordan’s voice broke as she spoke the words and Tessa laughed softly before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss on her cheek. 

“I love you, too. Now come on, I need to practice walking down this aisle so I don’t trip and fall on my face in front of everyone.” 

Jordan laughed, squeezed Tessa’s hand and scurried away from her and into the atrium of the church. Tessa watched her go and turned to follow, but the movement suddenly found her face-to-face with Brad, who had appeared beside her, as silent as a ghost. 

“Shit,” she said without thinking, her eyes darting to the large cross at the front of the church. Shit; she wasn’t religious, but it had to be a sin to say shit in a church. Was she supposed to say an indeterminate amount of Hail Marys? Maybe make the sign of the cross on her chest? But she wasn’t even Catholic and was that something people actually did outside of movies? 

But there was no time to consider that now, no reason to think about spending eternity damned when the devil himself was right in front of her. 

“Jesus, Brad,” she sighed, wincing at the realization that she had now taken the lord’s name in vain, and that absolutely had to classify as a cardinal sin. “What?” 

His gaze remained narrowed at her, the occipital bones beneath his eyes angry and bruised. 

“You broke my fucking nose, that’s what,” he hissed, his voice sharp and menacingly quiet. 

“You deserved it,” she found the strength to say, feeling her lip curl up in disgust. Her words appeared to make him angrier, his face flushing beneath the bruises. She took a moment to study the cartilage of his nose and noticed a bump that hadn’t been there before. She had known every freckle, every scar. She knew about the mole on his butt and the birthmark similar to hers on his lower back. She knew his eyes, his mouth, and she knew his nose. And that bump was new. 

“You’re lucky it was just your nose I broke,” she spoke, suddenly unsure where her newfound confidence had come from. She’d never been this bold with him before, had never been able to stand up for herself this way, never had allowed herself to be so unapologetically _herself_. “After what you did to me, I’d castrate you if given the chance.” 

“You bitch,” he spat the word at her, “you get a new boyfriend and you think you’re too good for me?”

“No. Scott’s not the one who made me believe I was too good for you. That’s all on you, Brad.” 

“Oh, please, Tess. You’re nothing but a little girl living in her big sister’s shadow. That’s all you will ever be.” 

His words threw her off, shook her confidence enough to leave her speechless for a moment, but then she was right back at him. 

“Well you fucked me for two years,” she lowered her voice, no longer thinking about the sacrilege of her words, “so if I’m a little girl, what does that make you?” 

The anger flashed in Brad’s eyes and in an instant he was moving toward her, his fingers curling around her right wrist hard enough to disrupt her circulation. She blinked, her eyes moving down to his hand. She curled her fingers into a fist and tugged in an attempt to free herself, but his grip only tightened. 

She raked her brain suddenly for the right steps to take in order to release herself from this embrace, but her mind felt blank and hazy. She couldn’t remember the right steps to take, which direction to turn herself in order to pull herself free. Her reflexes felt slow and stupid and though she tried desperately to remove her hand from his tight grasp, she couldn’t figure out how to do so. 

“Let go of me,” she commanded him, her green eyes dark. At the hard look on his face, she repeated herself, attempting to steady the growing tremble in her voice. “Let go of me, Bradley” 

A smirk curled the corner of his lips, his face cold and emotionless. 

“Or what, doll? You’ll have your boyfriend break another part of my face?” 

“No,” Scott’s voice came from behind her as he moved to join her. “But I can hold you down while she castrates you, if that’s what she wants.” 

Brad’s face flushed once more, irate. Scott stepped closer to him, his brown eyes dark and focused. 

“Get your hand off of her,” he stated, his voice as smooth as ever, but colder than she’d ever heard it. He made no effort to touch Brad, but his hand moved to Tessa’s side in an attempt to gently guide her away from the other man. 

Tessa glanced up at Scott and then Brad before she heard the footsteps at the head of the aisle, looking up to see that Jordan had moved into sight, her pretty face contorted with confusion. 

“What’s going on, guys?” Her voice was soft and troubled. Tessa looked toward her desperately, but neither Scott nor Brad’s gazes faltered. 

“Is this really the girl you want, mate?” Brad’s voice taunted, “I know she’s hot and all, but trust me, she’s a bit neurotic.” 

Scott glared at him. 

“Remove your hand from her or we’re going to have a problem,” he said the words slowly, and then added, “mate.” 

If it was possible, Tessa felt his fingers grip her wrist tighter and she wiggled her fingers, watching helplessly as they began to turn purple. 

“Brad, please,” she found her voice, hating how weak she sounded now. “Please let me go.” 

Brad looked at her and then down at her wrist. He blinked, and then, miraculously, his fingers loosened. Tessa pulled away from him, sobbing at the angry red finger marks on her wrist, clutching both hands to her chest. She scrambled away from him and Scott turned to move with her, but Brad called to him once more, causing him to turn. 

“Hey, Scott?” 

Scott paused, turned, one hand still protectively positioned on Tessa’s hip. She turned as well, just in time to see Brad’s fist collide with Scott’s face. 

Maybe it was because he’d seen or been a part of enough fights while playing hockey, but Scott had somehow seemed to anticipate the move and turned just enough to avoid the blow landing in a crucial spot. Brad’s fist made contact with Scott’s cheekbone and the sound was loud enough to cause both Tessa and Jordan to cry out. 

Time seemed to move in slow motion as Scott went down, surprised not so much by his action as the force of the impact. Brad’s dark eyes gleaned with anger and hatred and he seemed to move closer to Scott, raising his foot in an attempt to bring it down upon the other man. Tessa, however, heard Jordan’s voice crying out desperately for Charlie, for their father, for their brothers, and before Brad had the opportunity to bring his foot down, the horde of their family members had surrounded him. Hands gripped his arms, shoulders, tangled in his shirt as they attempted to pull the enraged man away from Scott, who was already in the process of pulling himself to his feet. 

Tessa watched before hurrying to Scott’s side, wrapping her arm around his waist and helping steady him as he stood. 

“Be careful,” she advised him, helping him sink into a pew. “Don’t move too much, you could have a concussion.” 

She glanced up to see Brad being dragged away by her family, heard Jordan’s sobs as she followed them. Her voice rose into a crescendo as she wailed. 

“Why do people keep getting punched before my wedding?!” The words were so forlorn that when she met Scott’s eyes, both of them broke into laughter. She knew she needed to provide some ice for the swollen red spot on his cheek, but neither of them could catch their breath long enough to pull themselves into a standing position. Tessa doubled over on the pew, clutching her sides, hysterical. 

They both gasped for breath, interrupted only by one of Jordan’s bridesmaids (Tessa guessed Sarah) bringing Scott a bag of ice. He pressed it to his face as she disappeared, wincing at the tenderness. Tessa caught her breath, but it took another few long moments before she was able to straighten herself and hold the ice gently to Scott’s face. He shot her a look of appreciation, leaning back against the pew. Their laughter subsided slowly, morphing into a quiet fit of giggles and then breathless amusement. 

“Jordan’s going to kill me,” he mumbled after a moment, bringing his hand up to touch the ice. “Now I’m an official part of the wedding and I’m going to have a black eye.”

“I’m sure Jordan’s makeup artist will be able to cover it,” she smiled softly at him. Their eyes met and he returned her grin. Tessa lowered her gaze after a moment, embarrassment and shame rising in her chest. 

“I’m so sorry,” she said softly, “I didn’t know all of this would happen. Do you want to press charges against him, or-”

“Nah,” Scott shook his head. “It’s fine. I’d be pissed too if I lost you because of my own stupidity.” Scott glanced down at her wrist, studying the finger marks that marred it. “What about you?” 

Tessa shook her head, studied the marks on her skin. 

“Did he ever hurt you?” Scott’s voice was soft, empathetic. “When you were together, I mean?” 

Tessa raised her eyes to him, pressed her lips together. 

“No. At least, not physically. Which I think is why it surprised me so much just now. I know how to protect myself, but it was just… I felt totally helpless. It was really scary.” 

Scott opened his mouth to speak when Charlie darted down the aisle breathlessly. 

“Tess…” he caught her attention and she glanced up at him, meeting his cool eyes. “Jordan’s locked herself in the washroom. I think she’s sick. Can you check on her? I’m worried.” 

Tessa looked up to meet Scott’s gaze and he nodded, moving to hold the ice with his own hand. Tessa pushed herself to her feet and moved out of the pew past Scott, hurrying behind Charlie to the women’s washroom. He stepped aside and Tessa moved to the door, pressed her ear against it and listened. She could hear Jordan’s soft sobs and then the flush of a toilet. Quietly, she raised her fist and knocked on the door. 

“Hey, Jord? You okay?” 

There was a moment of silence on the other side of the wooden door as Jordan caught her breath, attempting to stifle the sounds of her tears. 

“Charlie’s worried about you, and now I am, too. Can I just come in for a minute?” 

There was no response, and then, a moment later, the door unlocked. Jordan pulled the door open just enough to allow Tessa to slip inside. Tessa met her sister’s swollen eyes as she pressed her back against the door once more and Jordan latched it into place. Her face was red and tear-streaked, her dark brown hair pulled into a low ponytail. 

Tessa’s heart ached from looking at her. She moved toward her older sister, slipping her arms around her petite waist and pulling her into an embrace. They hugged for a long moment, Tessa’s arms holding her securely and lovingly. Jordan cried quietly but pulled away a moment later, rushing to the toilet falling to the floor before it, kneeling over the porcelain fixture and retching. 

Tessa sighed, followed her and rubbed her back gently as Jordan vomited. 

“Sweetie, it’s okay. You’re okay.” She allowed her fingers to trace over Jordan’s spine, watching her older sister’s thin frame as she heaved before sinking back onto the floor. Jordan reached up to flush the toilet and Tessa moved to wet a paper towel before pressing it to her forehead. “Are you sick? Did you end up drinking last night?” 

Jordan sobbed, shook her head. 

“I didn’t drink anything.” 

“Oh,” Tessa smiled gently at her, sliding onto the floor beside her. “Well, it’s just nerves, then. Remember how anxious you used to get around competitions? You had to leave the podium once to go throw up. Charlie was just standing there holding your flowers.” Tessa laughed a little as she spoke. “I think at one point he even pretended to put his arm around you.” 

“Yeah,” Jordan agreed after a moment, the corner of her lips turning upward into a smile for the briefest moment before disappearing. “But I don’t think that’s it this time. It’s not because I’m nervous.” 

Tessa furrowed her eyebrows, ducked her head to meet Jordan’s eyes. 

“What do you mean?” 

“It’s because…” Jordan’s voice was soft, hesitant. “It’s because I’m…” 

Tessa blinked at her, waiting for the words, but Jordan’s voice died in her throat. 

“You’re what?” 

Jordan’s mouth open and closed a few times, as if she were attempting to train herself to say the words aloud. Tessa watched her expectantly, her heart racing in her chest. 

“I’m pregnant,” Jordan finally whispered, the words barely audible between them. 

Tessa sucked her breath in quietly, her eyes darting to meet Jordan’s. 

“You’re…holy shit, Jord, are you serious?” 

Jordan’s eyes welled with tears once more, her lower lip trembling as she nodded. Fat tear drops rolled down her cheeks and Jordan wiped them away, burying her face in her hands. Tessa suddenly moved toward her, wrapping Jordan in her arms and holding her close. 

“You’re...” Tessa searched for the words as she held Jordan, “You’re having a baby?”

Jordan nodded against her shoulder, sniffling. 

“When did you find out?” Tessa asked, her mind racing. “How far are you?”

“About a week ago. I was so sick, and I went to the doctor. I didn’t think… I mean, the thought hadn’t even occurred to me, but I’m about eight weeks.”

“Does Charlie know?” Tessa asked suddenly, meeting her sister’s green eyes. 

Jordan sniffed, shook her head. 

“No. No one knows. Well, no one aside from you.” 

Tessa took a quiet breath, studying Jordan’s face. 

“Are you... are you happy?” 

Jordan met her gaze, a tiny smile working its way onto her lips despite the tears that rolled down her cheeks. 

“So happy. And so fucking scared.”

“Why are you scared?” Tessa stroked her face, “You’re going to be such an incredible mom, Jord.”

“What if Charlie’s not… what if he doesn’t think this is a good time? What if it’s too soon? I tried my dress on this morning and it’s already a little too tight, the seamstress is working overtime to make sure it’s perfect for tomorrow and-”

“Jordan,” Tessa said her name evenly. “Look at me.” 

Jordan raised her green eyes to her sister’s. Tessa reached out, wiping a tear from her face. 

“You need to tell Charlie. He’s going to be thrilled. Don’t worry about your dress. Martina is amazing and she’ll have it ready for tomorrow. You have to try to relax, okay? Stress isn’t good for you, and it’s not good for the…” Tessa glanced down at her sister’s stomach, searching for any sign of weight gain around her midsection. “It’s not good for the baby.” 

Jordan’s hand traced her abdomen nearly absentmindedly, her thin fingers resting there protectively.

“That’s why you didn’t drink last night,” Tessa said suddenly, the realization hitting her at once. “Oh, God, I didn’t even think about it.” 

Jordan shrugged. 

“Does Mom know?” Tessa wondered. 

Jordan shook her head. 

“No, I told you, no one knows except you.” 

Tessa felt her eyes burn with tears, her lower lip trembling. 

“I’m the first person you told.” 

Jordan nodded at her, pressing a tiny smile to her lips. 

“You trusted me with your secret. Now I’m trusting you with mine.” 

Tessa hugged her once more, so tightly that she pulled away instantly, afraid she’d hurt the child within Jordan. Jordan laughed, her cheeks still stained with tears. Tessa studied her face and then her midsection. 

“Oh my God, I’m going to be an aunt again.” 

Jordan laughed again softly, a sweet tinkling sound. 

“Yeah, you are.” 

Tessa grinned, shook her head. 

“I’m just… I’m so happy for you. You’ve wanted this forever, and now all of your dreams are coming true, and I-” Tessa wiped away a tear that had strayed from her eye and down her cheek. “There’s nobody in the world who deserves this more than you do.” 

Jordan smiled, dimples pressing into her cheeks. 

“Thanks, Tess. I’m honestly still trying to come to terms with it myself. It doesn’t feel real.” 

“Of course,” Tessa nodded, “it’s crazy. So much is changing. Your life is going to be so beautiful.” 

Jordan studied her, brushed a lock of hair from her own face. 

“And what about you, Tess?” She asked after a moment. Tessa noticed the golden glow about her sister, the way that, even streaked with tears, she looked happier, more content. Her face seemed fuller in a good way, her skin radiating with joy. She was almost ashamed she hadn’t recognized it before Jordan had told her; the differences were already there. “I can tell something has changed. Have you guys discussed what you’ll do after this week?” 

Tessa smiled, shook her head slowly. 

“Not yet. But you’re right, something has changed.” 

“Oh?” Jordan asked, an eyebrow arching in curiosity. “What’s that?” 

Tessa smiled at her, felt her face flush under her sister’s gaze. 

“I know what I want now,” she murmured after a moment, “and I’m going to tell him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to hear more about my trip or Tessa's reaction to my #vickyvice sign, please message me on instagram @ tessafreakingvirtue or twitter @ tessafreakingv1


	12. Tessa Should Probably Just Stop Talking At Some Point

Once Tessa was able to help Jordan dry her tears, reapply her makeup, and coax her from the washroom, the wedding rehearsal resumed. Tessa did what was expected of her, smiling as she made her way down the aisle with Charlie’s best friend before positioning herself on the stairs just before the altar. She watched, grinning, as Scott followed with Sarah on his arm, the bruise already fading from red to a soft purple that would undoubtedly take a few pounds of concealer to cover by tomorrow. 

Tessa pretended to clutch her flowers, watching as the officiant ran through the words with Jordan and Charlie, but couldn’t stop her eyes from continuously darting toward Scott. He looked so handsome in his suit, catching her eye with a wink, causing her to flush from head to toe. She glanced toward her watch guiltily, wondering how much longer it would be until she could sneak into the washroom with him and release some of her pre-wedding jitters. 

They made eye contact throughout the rehearsal, his eyes crinkling with a grin. Tessa lowered her gaze, trying to focus on the lovely words spoken by the officiant, or even the misty look in Jordan’s eyes, but Scott’s presence continued to distract her. When the officiant ordered them to practice their first kiss as a married couple, the bridesmaids broken into applause and Tessa grinned widely at her older sister as she turned to her. 

They practiced returning down the aisle, Tessa and the Best Man, Henry, trailing behind Jordan and Charlie. When they’d returned to the atrium of the church, Jordan swept Tessa into a hug. Tessa watched her older sister, her pretty face flushed with excitement and joy. Tessa thought of the life forming inside her, the miniscule things that were taking place every second of every day within her uterus to create the perfect, beautiful child that she would birth. 

Jordan caught her eyes and grinned before her hand instinctively slid down to her belly, cradling the slight bump that had already begun to form. Tessa smiled at her once more before glancing toward Charlie, who was gazing at Jordan as if he’d never seen anyone more beautiful in his entire life. The adoration in his face brought tears to Tessa’s eyes, and she wiped demurely at them before turning away. 

Scott, who stood beside her, still nursing his bruise with an ice pack, touched her elbow tenderly. 

“You good?” 

She looked up at him, nodded, and then, without thinking, nestled into him. There was only the briefest of pauses before his hand came up to stroke her back gently. 

The rehearsal dinner was more of the same; Jordan grinning and breathless with anticipation and excitement, Charlie watching her as if she were the eighth wonder of the world, Scott beside Tessa, making quiet jokes and stealing a sip of her wine when she turned her head. His hand rested on her upper thigh, his fingers warm and comforting. A few times, he turned to look at her, giving her the goofy grin that she had, over the past few days, come to love. 

There was talk of the honeymoon (Jordan and Charlie were vacationing in Australia for three weeks) and post-retirement skating engagements. Jordan explained, with a slight twinkle in her eye and a side-glance at Tessa, that she planned to take some time off from skating for the next year or so. Maybe then they’d consider performing once more, she stated, and Tessa looked down, smiling into her lap. 

She thought of what their future would be like; Jordan and Charlie and their baby. She thought of the fairy-tale love story that had been two-decades in the making and how any number of tiny things could have possibly caused this situation to end differently. When Tessa caught Scott’s eyes watching her once throughout dinner, her heart swelled at the familiar gaze. It wasn’t so different from the way Charlie had looked at Jordan throughout their years together, wasn’t so different from the way he looked at her now, but of course it had to be. Scott couldn’t love her already. Could he?

She’d been so difficult those first few days; nagging him and bickering about insignificant issues. She felt as if she’d nearly driven him away and knew that if it hadn’t been for the fact that she’d paid him for his services, he wouldn’t have stuck around after their first (or second, or third) argument. 

But something had changed, hadn’t it? Of that she was sure. But when had the change occurred? Had it been that first night they’d shared the bed together, or maybe the evening they’d spent in the washroom after she’d broken her hand on Brad’s face? Was it during the Twister game, or maybe just last night? Either way, things were different. They were no longer at odds, no longer competing. Somehow, at some point, they’d begun working toward the same goal. 

There were toasts from the wedding party and Tessa found herself giggling as a few of Jordan’s bridesmaids told stories from her youth. Charlie recounted a very concentrated version of their life together to the coos of family members. Tessa watched, settling with her glass of wine in her seat and a smile on her face. Occasionally, Scott’s hand would rub her back or her thigh, but when she turned to meet his gaze, he never seemed to realize what his hands were doing. He met her unasked question with a surprised gaze, withdrew his hand once only for her to reach out and place it once more on her knee. His fingers squeezed her kneecap gently in response. 

They dined until late in the evening, and when Tessa had begun to slip her purse over her shoulder, Jordan called out to her, her cell phone pressed against her ear. 

“Oh, Tess!” Her slender fingers reached for her sister, “Martina’s finished with my dress! She says I can come try it on tonight. Would you go with me?” She glanced toward Scott. “Charlie can give Scott a lift back to your cottage if that’s okay?” 

Tessa glanced toward Scott, who nodded easily. Tessa grinned at her sister, then held her index finger up to her, asking for a moment. She moved toward Scott, her head low, her voice quiet. 

“I’ll see you soon?” He smiled down at her, used his finger to chuck her chin gently. 

“Yeah, but I…” Tessa shifted her weight on her feet, glanced up at him. “There’s something I want to talk to you about tonight.”

His eyebrows furrowed just a bit, face suddenly tense. 

“Everything okay?” 

“Oh, yeah, yeah… it’s fine. I just…” she tried to wet her lips, but her mouth suddenly felt tacky and stale. “It’s kind of important. Wait up for me?” 

“Yeah, Tess, of course,” he smiled gently at her. “I don’t think I could sleep without you beside me if I tried.” 

The words flushed her, caused her to take a quiet breath in, and he suddenly looked panicked. 

“I mean… I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t think… I mean I don’t expect…” 

She glanced toward Jordan, who was watching them expectantly, before pushing herself onto her tip toes and pressing a kiss onto his cheek. 

“We’ll talk soon.”

Her words seemed to comfort him a little and she smiled once more at him before traipsing off after Jordan. 

She couldn’t help but to think of him as she helped Jordan into her ivory gown, one hand on Tessa’s shoulder as she held the heavy fabric open for her. With the assistance of the seamstress, they lifted the dress onto her shoulders and began to fasten the back. 

Tessa studied her older sister in the dressing mirror, her heart seizing at the joy on Jordan’s face. She turned to gaze upon her, Jordan’s fingers tracing up the silky fabric around her midsection before meeting Tessa’s eyes. 

“Can you tell?” She wondered, shifting to the side just a little in order for Tessa to study her profile. Her hands smoothed the fabric around her waist. 

Tessa tilted her head, then shook it. 

“No. You look just as perfect as ever. And once Charlie finds out about the baby, he’s going to be absolutely obsessed with your little bump.” Tessa reached up and traced her own fingers over her sister’s abdomen. “Ugh, you’re gonna be the cutest pregnant lady ever.” 

Jordan laughed then, a loud sound that caused Tessa to grin and focus on her reflection once more. 

“So…” Jordan said after a moment, when Martina had left the room briefly, taking Tessa’s hand as she stepped down from the pedestal. “Big night tonight, huh?” 

Tessa glanced at her, confused, before Jordan raised her eyebrows. Tessa flushed, lowered her gaze and brushed her dark hair behind her ears. 

“I mean… I’m just going to talk to him.” 

“Yeah,” Jordan encouraged her, “talk to him about what, though?” 

Tessa picked at her fingernails, shrugging. 

“Just… you know…” 

Jordan watched her expectantly, eyebrows arched. 

“You know… what?” 

Tessa groaned, turned away from her sister. 

“Come on, J. Don’t make me do this right now, it’s been a long day, and I need to mentally prepare myself for this conversation.” 

Jordan sighed, sank onto the pedestal, hitching her skirt up. 

“Ugh, fine. You don’t have to say I’m right, but I’ll take that victory.” 

“Right about what?” Tessa challenged her. 

“Right about you having feelings for Scott,” Jordan shot back, “which, I suspect, is the reason you need to talk to him tonight. To tell him that you love him.” 

“Jordan,” Tessa hissed her name, her face hot with embarrassment, “I don’t love him.” 

“Eh,” Jordan shrugged, “Love him, like him, whatever. The point is, you want him in that bed with you in a more than platonic way.” 

Tessa blanched, her lips parting at her sister’s words. She made a soft, amused sound and Jordan’s eyes narrowed. 

“Wait a minute.” 

Tessa’s eyes darted to her once more, wide. 

“I know that face.” 

“What face?” Tessa asked quickly, attempting to feign ignorance. “I’m not doing a face.” 

“You are doing a face,” Jordan accused her, “the same face you did when I caught you making out with one of your boyfriends in high school and you begged me not to tell Mom. What was his name? Jack? John?”

“James,” Tessa bemoaned, “it was James, and that’s totally different.”

“Oh?” Jordan tilted her head. “How so?” 

“I was fifteen!” 

“Yeah, exactly! You were fifteen and you had that face ‘cause I caught him giving you a hickey, and now you’re fifteen times two and you’ve got that face again and…” Jordan’s eyes went wide, “oh, shit, Tess! You actually did it!”

Tessa groaned, fell into a chair and buried her face in her hands. 

Jordan laughed again, clapping her hands gleefully. 

“I can’t believe you’re holding out on me!” She gasped, “Did you give him the money? How was it? Was it worth it?” 

“Jordan,” Tessa moaned her name, shaking her head. “Why are you so obsessed with this?” 

Jordan blinked, then grinned. 

“Because if my baby sister is getting action and I’m paying for it, I deserve all the details, so spill.” 

Tessa narrowed her gaze, screwing her lips into a pout. Jordan rolled her eyes, waved her hands to encourage the conversation. 

“Ugh,” Tessa sighed after a minute, “it was…”

“Please say more than fine,” Jordan whispered, studying Tessa’s face. 

“It was…” Tessa paused for a moment, considering. “It was amazing.” 

Jordan broke into a grin. 

“I knew it! Is his body as perfect as I think it is?” 

Tessa bit her lip, shrugging. 

“I think so, but… it was dark and we didn’t exactly undress, so…”

“Kinky!” Jordan gasped, “What about the money? Did he make you pay up front? Did he tell you to keep it? God, how does the world of prostitution work?” 

Tessa chose to ignore her last question, focusing instead on the others. 

“I forgot about the money, actually,” she admitted quietly. “He found it in my coat pocket this morning. He was... honestly kind of upset.” 

Jordan’s eyebrows lowered, frowning slightly. 

“What happened?” 

“I’m…” Tessa hesitated, “I’m not sure, really. We talked it out. We went to play hockey. And it kind of just… went away.” 

“Well did he keep the money?” Jordan asked. 

Tessa frowned, blinked. 

“I don’t know. I don’t remember seeing it after he tossed it on the bed.” She raised her eyes to her sister’s. “Is that bad?”

“If he took it, maybe,” Jordan leaned forward. “If he didn’t take it… that’s huge, Tess.” 

“Oh God, what if he did?” Tessa groaned, “I mean he was upset that I was even going to pay him, but maybe after thing settled down, he just put it in his pocket.” Tessa dropped her hand into her hands once more. “Ugh, I feel so dirty.” 

“Listen,” Jordan advised her, “when you get home, have the conversation with him. Look for the money later.” 

“But what if he-” Tessa began to protest. 

“Tess,” Jordan said, catching her eye just as Martina returned to the room, standing once more to allow the finishing touches on her gown. “Trust me. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. You’re worth way more than a thousand bucks to that man.”

By the time Tessa dropped Jordan off at her cottage and made her way back to her own, it was nearly eleven o’clock. Her body ached with exhaustion and the thought of the following day, which would be longer and more emotionally exhausting. There would be events from morning until late the next night that consisted of being Jordan’s emotional support as Maid of Honor. 

She’d spent the past year thinking primarily of tomorrow; doing everything in her power to make sure that she’d done her duties as Jordan’s sister and best friend. She’d thrown the showers, coordinated the bachelorette party, gone to cake testings and spoken to caterers when requested. She’d spent a great deal of her own time working as Jordan’s personal wedding planner because she wanted her sister to be happy, and she knew how important this day was to her. 

However, as she drove the short distance to the cottage she shared with Scott, she couldn’t focus on the wedding in less than twenty-four hours. She could think only of Scott, only of the words she wanted, no, needed, to say to him. She had been with him for less than a week, but she didn’t know if she could face going back to a life that didn’t involve him. 

She tried to practice her speech aloud in the dark interior of the car, saying the words to herself in order to hear them before she presented them to him. She wanted to come off as cool, collected, calm. She needed to do this with the upmost sensitivity, to show him that it was something she’d been thinking about and it wasn’t a rash decision she’d made. 

However, when she let herself into the cottage and found Scott on the couch in the living room, the words she had practiced in the car felt as unfamiliar as a foreign language. She greeted him, her heart racing in her chest at the sight of his soft smile. He rose as she entered the room, reaching out to her as she slipped out of her coat. 

She moved toward him and he took her hands, his grip warm and unbelievably soft as he cupped her fingers in his own. 

“Your hands are cold,” he commented, warming them between his palms before pressing a kiss against her knuckles. 

“Yeah,” she murmured, suddenly unable to look away from his eyes. “It’s freezing outside.” 

“Yeah, it is,” he agreed, taking her hand and leading her further into the cottage, settling onto a chaise in front of the lit fireplace and gently tugging her hands to encourage him to sit beside her. “Come here, I’ll warm you up.” 

_Oh, there was absolutely no doubt about that_. Even now, seeing him in his trousers with the first three buttons undone and his tie loose around his neck, she was already beginning to feel warmer. She wanted nothing more than to sink onto the chair beside him, fall asleep in his arms as the fire crackled beside them, but she knew she needed to speak now or she’d lose her nerve. Once she was in his arms, she would be intoxicated by him and she needed to have a clear head for this. 

“Wait,” her voice was barely above a whisper as she stood before him, their fingers linked. “Not yet.”

He blinked, his face serious. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Just… I have to say this, okay? I have to get this out now or I’ll never be able to say it.” 

His face softened and he nodded, his thumbs tracing her knuckles gently. 

“Okay, babe. Shoot.”

Her heart skipped at the pet name, and she tried to remember if he’d ever used that term with her in a way that hadn’t been mocking. He’d used it at the initial dinner with the family, she knew. She recalled the way he’d teased her blush in front of everyone, the anger she’d felt for him at his coy smile. But there was nothing mocking about the name now; his eyes were wide and watchful and she’d never felt so understood by another human being.

“Okay,” she wet her lips, shifted her weight as she looked at him. “Don’t say anything yet, okay? Please don’t say anything, because if you interrupt me, I don’t know if I’ll be able to get my thoughts out, and it’s really, really important that I do.”

Scott remained steadfastly quiet, nodding only slightly, his fingers squeezing hers in reassurance. 

“I need to tell you…” she began, “I need to tell you that I know it’s only been four days that we’ve really known one another, but you have to believe me when I tell you that it’s been the best four days of my entire life. And even with the Brad shit and the broken hand and everything else, I can still say that with relative certainty, so I-”

“Tess,” he said her name softly, rising to his feet in front of her. She stopped speaking, realized for the first time that she was nearly breathless. “Look at me. Breathe.”

The feel of his fingers tangled with hers suddenly came back to her, the sensation grounding her as he squeezed them gently once more. Tessa forced herself to take a steady breath; in through her nose, out through her nose, just like Jordan had taught her once upon a time. 

Scott smiled softly at her, his hand still grasping hers gently. In a moment, he embraced her fully, their chests pressed against one another as they hugged. He held her close to him as her heart jumped in her chest, her eyes closing at the encompassing feel of safety and connection that the hug provided. His hands traced her back, chest rising and falling in rhythm with her own. It was mystical, almost magical, the effect the embrace had on her. It was if she could feel her heart slowing, her blood pressure lowering. 

“There you go,” his breath was soft in her ear as she focused on their breathing, mesmerized by the way their respiratory rate seemed to match up. He held her that way for a minute or two, but it was long enough to leave her utterly speechless when he pulled away, watching her with his dark eyes. “I’m sorry I interrupted you, but I was afraid you were going to pass out. Is that better?” 

Tessa nodded wordlessly, wetting her lips once more. She made a soft noise of affirmation, her knees suddenly weak. She sank onto the chaise behind her and Scott moved quickly to join her, sitting so closely beside her that his thigh pressed against hers. His body heat overwhelmed her, and along with the warmth from the fire, she felt much too hot. 

“Please continue,” Scott said softly beside her, and she suddenly noticed the imploring look on his face.

“I can’t imagine going back to a life that doesn’t include you,” she said quickly, though now more conscious of her breathing. “And I’ve never felt this way before. I’ve never wanted something as badly as I…” She sucked in a breath, forcing herself to continue. “Never wanted anything as badly as I want you. And I know that with what you do, you know, as an escort, that it would be damn near impossible, and I really hope that this isn’t just something you do with all the women you meet, but I guess what I’m trying to say is that I like you. I think I maybe really like you and…” she glanced up at him desperately, “please stop me and say something because I can’t stop myself.”

He smiled at her tenderly, his brown eyes amused. 

“I told you that you were cute when you get flustered,” he said softly, reaching up to gently brush his thumb over her jawbone. 

Tessa groaned, eyes lowering immediately. 

“That’s…” she said quietly, “definitely not what I wanted you to say.” 

He laughed gently, brushing a strand of dark hair from her face. 

“Oh, no?” He frowned. “Well then, let me try again.” 

She raised her gaze to him, green eyes watching him intently. 

“What I meant to say… what I should have said...” his voice was smooth, “is that I think I maybe really like you, too.” 

The flood of relief that rushed through her caused her to inhale softly, a smile pressing across her lips. 

“Really?” 

“Really, really,” he nodded, his lips pressing together. “I really, really like you, Tessa Jane Virtue.”

She let out a soft exhale that sounded more like a sob and then pressed her hand to her chest. 

“God, you have no idea how stressful that was,” she laughed, the lilt of her giggle causing him to grin. He studied her face, raising his eyebrows at her when she spoke once more. “And… now what?” 

“Well,” he said after a moment, taking her hand. He pressed the pads of their fingertips together in a playful show of affection, “Do you mean when we go home, or right now?” 

“Both.” 

Scott’s eyes traced down her face, blinking only when he gazed at the soft skin at the base of her jaw. 

“Well I don’t know about you, but the moment I get home, I’m going to call you and ask you out on our first official date. My treat.” 

“Yeah?” Tessa’s voice lowered, a sly grin slipping across her features. “And what about right now?” 

Keeping her gaze, he leaned in, closing the distance between them as his lips pressed against hers. His kiss took her breath away and she moaned softly into his mouth, eyes fluttering closed. 

He kissed her gently at first and then deeper, his fingers coming up to stroke her jawbone as their tongues met. Tessa felt the electric charge of their chemistry as it consumed her, sending a delicious shiver through her body. 

“Right now,” he breathed against her skin as they separated just enough for him to speak, “I want to show you how much I really like you.” 

Scott’s hand slipped around her, gripping the back of her neck gingerly and catching her lips in another frenzied kiss as they sank onto the chaise. Their kisses were quick and passionate, both of their breath growing heavier as Tessa’s back pressed against the white fabric, Scott pressing between her thighs. 

She longed for him so desperately, but also wanted this moment to last. She slid her hand between his legs, firmly rubbing against the bulge in his trousers before unbuckling his belt. He grasped one of her hands and then the other, pressing them against the chaise above her head. His mouth found her neck, sucking and nipping at the skin as she yelped in pleasure beneath him. 

When she felt the pressure of his mouth against the fair skin of her neck, she arched away from him reluctantly. 

“Not hard,” she reminded him, catching his lips between whispered pleas, “the wedding’s tomorrow. I can’t show up with marks. When we get home, you can do whatever you want.” 

He growled in the back of his throat, gently licked the spot on her neck he’d suckled on. Her fingers tangled in his dark hair and his mouth grudgingly left her neck before returning to her lips and catching them roughly. His forcefulness was incredibly sexy, but his touch was so feather-light that she knew she could withdraw from him at any moment if she wanted to. 

One hand still grasping her wrists lightly, Scott used the other to ease her from her strapless dress, wetting his lips as he tugged it down to her waist, exposing her breasts and toned abdomen. 

“Jesus,” he breathed, his fingers curling in an effort to keep from caressing her breasts. His eyes darted to her, asking her permission, and she nodded before he palmed one of her breasts. Her nipple stiffened beneath his touch and at once, his mouth found the hardening nub. His tongue swirled over the rosy bud, drawing it between his teeth in a way that made her gasp and beg for more. He responded by gently pinching the other nipple between his fingers, causing a rush of arousal between her thighs. 

His hands worked at the dress, pulling it down her thighs and over her feet before pushing her legs apart and settling between them. Tessa reached for him, tugged gently on his hair. 

“I need you inside me,” she whispered, “I don’t want to wait.” 

His dark eyes alight, he leaned in, nipped at the inside of her thighs before working his fingers beneath her panties and slipping them from her legs. She let her legs fall open beneath them, his eyes settling on the apex of her thighs. He took a quiet breath and she watched him carefully, feeling her body flush beneath his gaze. 

He’d been inside her already, had tasted her just that morning in the shower, but this was the first time she’d really been exposed to him in this way, and the desire in his eyes ignited a fire within her. She could feel her own wetness, knew that she’d make a mess on the chaise if he didn’t fulfill her desires soon, and she tugged at his pants. He unzipped his slacks and she reached down to find his hardness, stroking him before guiding him to her entrance.

“Wait,” his voice sounded strangled as he resisted her, a tiny square of foil suddenly in his hand. She wasn’t sure where it had come from and she didn’t give a shit as he ripped it open, watching thirstily as he unrolled the condom onto himself. 

“Now,” she begged, as he sheathed himself fully in the protective barrier. She lifted her legs, closing the space between them, her pink folds opening to him. “Please fuck me now.”

He didn’t seem to need more prompting and slid inside her, drawing low moans from both of them. Her hands clutched his biceps as he found her waist, holding her as he began to thrust shallowly into her. 

“More,” she whimpered, “deeper. Please.” 

Scott acquiesced, his hips beginning to snap sharply against hers, burying himself inside her before withdrawing nearly all the way, both of them panting in delight and pleasure. Tessa could feel him swell within her, somehow seeming to grow harder and longer as they moved together, their bodies crying out so desperately for one another. 

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he panted in her ear, his breath hot against her skin. “You feel so good.” 

She moaned in response; she didn’t think she would be capable of forming words if someone had held a gun to her head at that moment. The speed of his thrusts increased, his soft groans and grunts growing slightly in volume as he fucked into her. 

It wasn’t until his thumb found the base of her neck, pressing gently upon her collar bone, that she felt her climax approaching. Something about his gentle touch mixed with the sexy possessiveness caused her thighs to tremble beneath him, her stomach muscles to tense in anticipation of her orgasm. 

“Oh,” she moaned, “oh yes, that’s… I’m…” She clenched around him before she could complete her sentence, captive to her own pleasure as her body tightened and trembled. At the feel of her muscles squeezing him within her, he came with a low groan, filling the condom as he jerked his hips. 

When they were both sated, he fell upon her breathlessly, still buried within her, nuzzling into her neck. She carded her fingers through his hair, could feel him throbbing inside her and groaned at the loss when he eventually withdrew himself. 

They panted side by side for another moment before he took her hand, kissed her fingertips tenderly and then led her to the washroom. They cleaned up and dressed in a satisfied, comfortable quiet before slipping into bed beside one another. 

Scott rested back against the pillows, Tessa curling against his chest, her fingers scratching lightly at his shirt as she whimpered in contentment. He pressed soft kisses against the top of her head, stroking her back.

“Hey Tess?” He said her name softly as they cuddled beneath the comforter, Tessa watching as snow fluttered to the ground outside. 

“Mm?” She lifted her chin, looking toward him. 

“Maybe I could be a coach.” 

Tessa’s eyebrows furrowed slightly and she sat up to study him. 

“What?” 

He met her eyes, shrugged slightly. 

“I don’t know. I mean, when I’m not doing this anymore. This escort thing. Maybe it’s a pipe dream, but I like working with kids, and I’m pretty good at hockey. My legs could probably take that much stress. Hell, maybe I could even become a firefighter or something.”

Tessa gazed at him, tilted her head. 

“You’d quit escorting?” She asked, her voice barely audible. 

He blinked at her, smiled. 

“If that’s the only way to make this work, then… yeah, I would.”

"This?" She questioned hopefully. 

"Us," he replied with a smile. 

His words were so matter-of-fact, so incredibly unassuming that she couldn’t stop the smile that overtook her features. She leaned in and kissed him before settling back against his chest, her head resting just above his heart. She closed her eyes, listening to the quiet thumps, her body already beginning to drift into sleep. 

“And you know what else?” He sounded so excited, so boyishly eager that it made her grin into the soft cotton of his t-shirt. 

“Hmm?” She was barely listening now, lulled into the comfort of sleep by the steady rhythm of his heart and the soothing tones of his voice. 

“I was thinking that maybe when I get back from Spain, we could go catch a Leafs game together. Since, you know, you are such a big fan and all.” 

She could hear the grin in his voice, but she furrowed her eyebrows in her tired state, stifling a yawn. 

“Spain? Are you going on vacation?” 

“No,” he replied, his voice light as he traced a hand down her back. “It’s a job I already have booked for two weeks out. I’ll only be gone for about eight days, though.”

His words startled her awake and she narrowed her gaze, pushing herself into a sitting position once more. 

“A job with…” she blanked, shook her head, “a coaching job?” 

“No, not coaching, babe. Another escort job.” 

The words hit her like a train and she blinked, suddenly finding herself fully awake. 

“Excuse me?” 

He stared at her, perplexed. 

“What?” 

“I thought you said you were going to quit,” she felt jealousy rising in her throat. “Didn’t you just say that?” 

“Yes, of course,” he nodded, “I can withdraw my profile from the site as soon as I get back into town. But I can’t just cancel the trip that’s already booked.” 

“Well, why not?” She demanded suddenly, feeling her face grow hot as she stared at him. 

He scoffed softly, shaking his head. 

“She’s already paid, Tess. She’s leaving in ten days. I can’t just cancel on her.”

“She?” Tessa gasped, as if she hadn’t already known. “Why does she need an escort?” 

Scott narrowed his gaze at her, his mouth opening and closing silently before he spoke. 

“Are you serious?” His voice rose an octave, “She’s a client! You hired me, too!”

“Yeah, and you were single at the time,” she cried, “and now you’re…” 

He watched her, his face a mask of defensiveness.

“And so what?” He wondered, “You don’t trust me?” 

Tessa laughed, but it was humorless. 

“It’s not you I don’t trust.” 

“It sounds like it’s at least partly me,” he shrugged, and Tessa could hear the cautiousness in his voice. 

“Well you’re wrong,” she shook her head, “What am I supposed to say, Scott? Go have fun on an exotic vacation with a strange woman? Are you going to be sleeping in her bed?”

“God, Tessa,” the patience left his voice, “I wouldn’t-”

“Are you going to fuck her, too?” 

As soon as she said the words, she regretted them. She sucked her breath in, but his eyes were narrowed at her, his mouth parted in surprise. 

“Didn’t you hear anything I said to you this morning?” He sounded hurt. “When I told you that nothing like this has ever happened to me before? That you were the only woman I’ve met who ever made me feel this way?”

“Scott,” she said his name softly, wanting to say something to make this right. She wanted to apologize and wanted things to be the way they had been just a few moments ago, but more than anything, she wanted him not to go to Spain with a strange woman. “You have to understand where I’m coming from.” 

“You’re coming from a place of hypocrisy,” he insisted, “you hired me to do a job. I did it. And whatever happened between us, that’s… something aside from this. You hired me to do the same thing these other women hire me for. How is that any different?” 

“Because they didn’t-” she began, realized the tone in her voice and took a moment to calm herself before speaking again. “Because they didn’t fall in love with you.”

He studied her for a long moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was quiet. 

“Then shouldn’t you at least be able to trust me when I tell you this is nothing more than a business trip?” 

Tessa blinked and felt the tears rush to her eyes. Her skin was hot with shame and embarrassment. 

“What if you fall in love with her, too?” She asked, her voice trembling. “It’s happened once, right? Who says it couldn’t happen again?” 

She expected him to comfort her, to take her into his arms and reassure her that this was a once-in-a-lifetime love, that nothing like this ever had or ever would happen to him again, not after the hell she’d been through with Brad. Instead, his gaze seemed to grow cool, the emotion leaving his face. 

“Because it already happened,” he said the words slowly, calculated. “God, Tessa, I told you I’d quit the entire business for you. Doesn’t that mean anything?”

“Of course it does,” she gasped, tears suddenly escaping her eyes, “but I didn’t know you already had a trip planned with another woman.”

“A client,” he corrected her sharply. “She’s just a client. Christ, she’s almost fifty!” 

Tessa sniffled, clenched her jaw. Well, that helped somewhat. She wasn’t as young, surely she wasn’t as fit. She wouldn’t be able to play Twister or Hockey, most likely. The thoughts brought her some sense of comfort, but just as she turned to speak to him, to admit that maybe it had been a bit of an over-reaction, he was already pushing himself out of bed and away from her. 

“Scott?” She asked softly, “Where are you going?” 

He turned away from her, cleared the emotion from his throat. 

“I’m going to sleep downstairs,” he said brusquely. 

“Why?” Her voice broke as she asked the question, her legs tucked beneath her now in bed. 

“Because you don’t trust me, Tessa,” he said plainly, turning to glare at her. “And I don’t know if I can be with someone who doesn’t.” 

Tessa took a shuddering breath, pushing herself to her feet. 

“I trust you,” she reached for him. “I do. I’m sorry.” 

He considered her for a moment, his gaze focused on her. 

“And if I told you that her single twenty-five-year-old daughter is accompanying us for the trip, would you still trust me then?” 

Tessa hesitated for just a second too long, the thought of Scott tangled in the arms of a woman similar to the one she’d caught with Brad flashing in her brain. The thought caused her heart to clench in fear and jealousy, but she nodded. 

“Yes,” she said after a moment, “of course I would.” 

The waver in her voice was obvious to even her, and Scott shook his head at her, grabbing a pillow from the bed before moving wordlessly to the steps. 

“You know what, Tessa?” He hesitated at the top of the stairs, looking away from her. “When you picked me up that first day, I thought you were selfish and childish. If you hadn’t already paid me, I might’ve just said to forget the whole thing. But then I saw another side of you. You were funny and smart, generous and caring, and I thought _‘Ah, there she is. That is the real Tessa’_. And now…” he paused for a moment, as if speaking caused him physical pain. “And now I don’t know anymore.”

He disappeared down the stairs and Tessa watched him, listening until she heard him settle on the couch with a quiet sigh. 

Tessa clenched her jaw, fought the tears even as they streamed down her cheeks. She wrapped herself in the duvet, curled into a tight ball and tucked her head into the comforter to hide from the chill of the night. She trembled, teeth chattering as she huddled beneath the blankets. 

After she had laid awake for nearly two hours, her mind racing, Tessa realized it wasn’t just the bed that was colder and emptier without Scott beside her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even romantic comedies must have their angsty scenes! Stick with me, we're almost done!


	13. Tessa Doesn't Need Relationship Advice (But Poppy's Offering It Anyway)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that this can bring at least a little comfort to those of you who are struggling tonight. I can't make the pain go away, but maybe I can make you forget about it for just a little bit. Thank you so much for reading. Please enjoy.

“Do you have any nines?” 

Tessa peered at her niece from over the cards in her hand, eyebrow arching. 

Poppy’s eyes lowered to the cards in her fingers, her mouth forming the number words to herself before looking back up at Tessa and shaking her head. 

“Go fish.” 

Tessa reached for the pile of cards, picking one up and tucking it into her hand. She glanced toward the sound of Jordan and their mother speaking as they stood in front of the dressing mirror, studying Jordan’s reflection. She caught Jordan’s excited grin as their mother finished zipping the wedding gown and stepped back to study Jordan. 

Tessa felt herself smiling, tears blurring her vision as she blinked. 

“You look so beautiful,” she called from the couch beside her niece, and Jordan turned to her quietly, blinking away her own tears. 

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Jordan skimmed her fingers down her sides, glancing up at their mother. Kate smoothed Jordan’s hair, began to hook her veil into her extravagant bun. 

“Aunt Tessa, you look sad. Do you have any kings?” Poppy’s soft voice rose over the quiet murmur of Jordan and Kate’s conversation, and Tessa turned back to her, forcing a smile. 

“What? You’re silly, Poppy. I’m not sad. Aunt Jordan is getting married today. I’m very happy for her. Go fish.” 

Poppy sighed, reaching for the pile of cards and choosing one clumsily. Tessa looked back to her sister, studying her in the mirror as Kate helped adjust the dress on her shoulders. Jordan turned, studying her reflection. Tessa’s eyes traced down to her abdomen, wondering if Jordan saw something she didn’t hidden beneath the layers of fine fabric. 

She hadn’t had a chance to speak to her sister privately this morning; at least not yet. She was eager to see if Jordan had shared the news of the pregnancy with Charlie, and she’d wanted so badly to ask as they’d gotten their nails done this morning. Still, Jordan had said that even their mother didn’t know about the pregnancy, and it wasn’t her place to share the news with anyone.

Tessa had woken up early this morning, eager to begin the day and expecting to find Scott in bed beside her before she remembered the previous evening. She’d reached into the space beside her, expecting to find him, but when she’d realized he wasn’t there, she’d felt her heart sink. It hadn’t been a bad dream, then. He’d spent the night on the couch downstairs, hurt by her accusations. 

When she’d peered over the loft railing, hoping to see him still curled on the couch, she was dismayed to find the blankets folded into a neat square, pillow resting on top of them. Her fingers had clutched the railing, and she had worried for a moment that he’d left in the middle of the night, but she heard the sound of the shower running in the washroom downstairs and sank bank onto the mattress until she heard the door open. 

By the time she’d showered and dressed herself, the distance between them had grown so much that she’d barely whispered good morning to him before she’d slid out the front door. 

“I’m happy for Aunt Jordan, too. But you’re sad for you,” the little girl pointed out. “Do you have any sevens?”

Tessa blinked at her. When she’d settled beside her niece to entertain her during the arduous process of tucking her blonde hair into curlers in preparation for the wedding, she hadn’t expected to be given the third degree. 

Tessa smoothed the skirt of her dress over her lap, her own hair falling in waves over her shoulders. 

“Why do you say that?” Tessa asked, glancing over at Jordan and her mother before looking back to Poppy. “Go fish.” 

Poppy shrugged, reaching for another card. 

“Cause I’m six now and I know stuff. Oh!” She squealed happily, “I got a match!” 

Tessa smiled at her, tilted her head. 

“Oh. As opposed to when you were five and the world still held mystery?” 

Poppy nodded wisely.

“Exactly.” 

Tessa studied her for a moment before shifting her eyes to her cards. 

“Okay, smarty pants. Do you have any sixes?” 

Poppy plucked a card from her little fingers, offering it to Tessa. She made a cheerful sound, laying her match on the cushion between them. 

“Ouch,” the little girl hissed suddenly, furrowing her eyebrows up at the hairdresser who was in the process of taming the baby hairs that framed her tiny forehead. “Where’s Uncle Scott?”

Tessa glanced up at her quickly, letting her cards fall from her hands. She gathered them quickly as Poppy watched her with wide, dark eyes. Tessa met Jordan’s gaze in the reflection of the mirror for just a moment before focusing once more on her niece. 

“I don’t know where he is,” Tessa shrugged, “And he’s not your uncle. It’s your turn, by the way, and I’m winning.” She waved her remaining cards playfully in front of her, but Poppy remained unfazed. 

The little girl pursed her lips, eyes narrowing into thoughtful slits. 

“He’s your boyfriend.” 

“He’s just a friend,” Tessa said quietly, making sure to keep her voice low so as not to alert the other women in the room. 

“He called you cute at dinner,” Poppy grinned impishly. 

“He was just trying to be funny, Pop,” Tessa retorted, feeling her face flush. The child watched her intently, her tiny face an impregnable mask. 

“That wasn’t funny. Knock-knock jokes are funny,” Poppy shook her head before her face lit up. “Hey, I got a good one! Wanna hear it?” 

Tessa watched her, placing her cards on her lap. 

“Sure, kid. Go for it.” 

“Okay.” Poppy straightened, made a groan of frustration as the hairdresser tugged a particularly stubborn lock of golden hair into place. “Knock, knock.” 

“Who’s there?” 

“Lettuce!” Poppy squealed. 

“Lettuce who?” 

“Lettuce in, it’s cold out here!” Poppy shivered, pretended to warm herself by rubbing her hands furiously over her arms before breaking into a hysterical giggle. 

Tessa laughed too, then; she couldn’t help it. She let her head fall back, the sound reverberating through the room as Poppy beamed with pride. 

“I told you knock-knock jokes were funny,” she grinned, exposing an empty space in her gums where she’d recently lost her first tooth. 

Tessa watched her for a moment, remembering the first time she’d held her in the hospital after she’d been born. She’d been so tiny and helpless, but even at just a few hours old, her eyes had connected with Tessa’s and watched her so intently that the connection between them had been instantaneous. She’d curled her tiny fingers around one of Tessa’s own, and from that moment, she knew the little girl had stolen her heart. 

“You’re right, kiddo,” Tessa reached out, touching her niece’s chin with her fingertips affectionately, “they’re pretty funny. Hey, are we finished playing Go Fish?”

“Did you and Uncle Scott have a fight?” Poppy asked suddenly, her small face serious. Tessa’s eyes darted toward Jordan and their mother, checking to see if they were listening in on her conversation. When their soft chatter continued, she turned her attention back to her niece. 

“Maybe just a little one,” she confided softly. 

“Did he make you mad or sad?” Poppy wondered, lowering her own voice. 

“Maybe a little bit of both,” Tessa admitted quietly, “but I think I made him sad, too.” 

“Oh,” Poppy nodded knowingly. “You know what you should do?” 

Tessa sighed, glancing up at the hairdresser, catching a smirk beneath the wave of her dark hair. 

“What?” Tessa asked. 

“I think you should tell him he made you sad, then tell him you’re sorry. And give him a hug. That’s what my teacher asks us to do when friends fight. Oh! And tell him you love him.” 

“Poppy,” Tessa said her name softly, “I don’t think that would work.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because, unfortunately, grown up problems can get a lot more complicated than kid problems. Besides,” she added after a moment, “I don’t think Scott likes me very much anymore.” She thought back to their conversation last night, remembering the hurt in his face before he’d descended the stairs.

“Aunt Tessa,” Poppy addressed her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “You can still love somebody even when you don’t like them very much.”

The hairdresser finally released one of the curlers from Poppy’s hair, Tessa watching as one blonde curl and then another fell into her face. 

“All right, little lady,” the woman spoke, “you’re all finished.” 

Poppy leaped from the couch, throwing her arms into the air in celebration before landing on her bare feet. 

“Yay!”

“Don’t mess up your hair!” Jordan warned her from across the room, eyeing her in the reflection of the mirror. Poppy sighed dramatically, throwing herself back onto the couch cushion. Tessa laughed despite herself and Kate turned to her granddaughter, reaching for her hand. 

“Come on, Poppy, I’ll take you to your Mom.” 

Kate and Poppy shuffled out the door, followed by the hairdresser, leaving Jordan and Tessa alone in the room. Tessa rose from the couch, making her way to her sister, smiling at her reflection in the mirror. 

“Are you nervous?” She asked, her eyes tracing Jordan’s full gown, using her fingers to spread the luxurious fabric to study it. 

“A little bit,” Jordan declared quietly. “Mostly I’m just nervous that I’ll fall on my ass walking down the aisle or something.” 

Tessa laughed. 

“You’re one of the most graceful athletes in the world!”

“Yes, on the ice,” Jordan giggled in response, “but I lose my balance on escalators. Remember when I fell in the shower and had to get stitches in my head?” 

“Of course I remember,” Tessa studied the flawless skin on Jordan’s exposed shoulders and neck. “There was blood everywhere. I was scared to death.” 

“I know you were,” Jordan smiled at her affectionately, “you’ve always tried to take care of me like you were _my_ big sister. It was cute.” 

Tessa grinned at her, reached up to carefully brush a strand of hair behind her ear. 

Jordan caught her eye, her face suddenly serious. 

“I heard you talking to Poppy,” she confessed reluctantly, her lips turned into a slight frown. “I’m so sorry, Tess. The talk didn’t…?” She seemed unable to ask the question fully, and Tessa shook her head. 

“The talk was fine. The talk was… amazing, honestly. The whole thing was absolutely incredible. I just… I don’t know if I’m going to be able to make this work. Not with the whole escort thing.” Her voice faded, and for the first time she allowed the severity of the situation to settle within her. 

Yes, it had only been a week, but the unique circumstances had led her to feel things that she would have never thought possible after only meeting someone. She’d spent nearly every moment of every day of the past week with him and the thought of suddenly no longer having him made her feel uncertain and afraid. Tears burned her eyes, but she willed them away. After all, she’d already had her makeup done. There was no time for tears. 

She briefly wondered if the makeup artist had been able to cover the bruise on his face and felt a pang of guilt at the thought that he’d gotten the injury defending her. 

She met Jordan’s eyes again, forcing a smile, and her sister returned the look of affection. 

“I have something for you,” she whispered conspiratorially, lifting the hem of her dress in order to cross the room, retrieving a small white box from her purse. 

“What?” Tessa blanched, “no! You’re the one getting married. I’m supposed to be giving you gifts!”

Jordan rolled her eyes playfully, placing the delicate white box in her hands. 

“Oh, shush. You’ve given me the greatest gift possible by being my Maid of Honor and my best friend. And it’s nothing big. It’s just… a gift from the heart.” 

Tessa watched her, one eyebrow arched, before glancing to the box in her hand. 

“It’s so light,” she mused, though her hand still trembled as she lifted the lid. “Is there even anything-”

Her words left her as her eyes fell on the tiny item in the box. It was a small red heart, clumsily cut from felt and no more than two inches long. The edges were frayed terribly, and when Tessa reached in to trace her fingertips over the fabric shape, she recalled with astonishing clarity the day she’d made it. 

“Oh my God,” she whispered the words, her voice hitching with emotion. She glanced up at Jordan quickly, whose eyes were already rimmed with tears. “Where did you…”

She remembered being seven-years-old in art class, armed with a pair of safety scissors and a classroom of supplies at her fingertips. She’d finished her project early and had been told by the teacher to create something on her own. Tessa had cut a variety of shapes from different colored felt, but the only one she’d brought home with her was the red heart. Something about the way it felt in her hand made her feel as if it were magic, as if simply wielding it could bring about good luck. 

Because of that feeling, and because of the fact that Jordan had a big competition that weekend, she’d gifted it to her. 

“It’s good luck,” she’d told her older sister, when Jordan’s eyebrows had gone up in skepticism. 

Jordan and Charlie had placed first in their competition the following day, and Tessa had beamed with pride that she’d been correct about her lucky heart. In the excitement of the celebration, however, and the increasingly more significant competitions that followed, she’d all but forgotten about the silly felt heart. 

And then she had forgotten about it completely. Until now, anyway. 

“Where did you find this?” Tessa asked in disbelief. “How did you even…”

“What do you mean how did I find it?” Jordan asked, reaching into the box and lifting the thin, frayed heart in her hand. “I’ve known where it was since the moment you gave it to me.” 

“What?” Tessa gasped. 

“Yeah,” Jordan laughed, though the sound was somewhere between a giggle and a sob. Her eyes were wide and wet and Tessa watched as she dabbed at them carefully with a well-manicured finger. She cupped it in her palm, tilted it until Tessa noticed the safety pin that was secured through the worn fabric. “See all those holes? I’ve worn this pinned inside every costume in every competition for the past twenty years. You were right,” she grinned up at Tessa, “it is lucky. And it’s served me well for my whole career. Now I want you to have it.” 

Tessa couldn’t take her eyes off the threadbare heart, almost as if she could feel its thrum along with her own. 

“It’s yours, though,” Tessa shook her head, as though they were discussing a diamond ring as opposed to a ragged felt heart. “I gave it to you.”

Jordan laughed softly, and, still clutching the heart, motioned to her gown before placing a hand protectively on her belly. 

“Tess, look at me. I’m getting married to the guy I’ve loved since I was seven-years-old. I’m having a baby. I got my good luck. I got my happy ending. Now you deserve to get yours.”

She slipped the heart into Tessa’s palm before curling her fingers around it. Tessa watched the action before her eyes moved back to Jordan’s face, taking a shuddering breath as she leaned in, wrapping her sister in her arms. 

She held her tight, closing her eyes and running her fingers over Jordan’s back, savoring the moment. Over a lifetime of hugs, this would be the last one they would share before Jordan became a married woman. 

The tears Tessa had managed to hold off for so long broke through, rolling down her face as she wiped furiously at her eyes, careful to avoid marring Jordan’s gown with smudges of mascara or eyeliner. 

“I love you so much,” Tessa whispered, pressing a kiss against her shoulder. 

“I love you, too,” Jordan returned, her own voice breaking with emotion. She squeezed Tessa tightly, and it brought to mind the way Scott had hugged her last night when she’d been frantic with emotion. His embrace had calmed her, made her feel secure and confident even when she felt so unsure of herself. Her sister’s hug had a similar soothing affect. 

“Oh,” Jordan whispered, arms still embracing Tessa, “I told Charlie about the baby.” 

Tessa pulled back, gripping her arms gently as she studied her face. 

“How did he react?” 

Jordan smiled, dabbing at her eyes once more. 

“He was thrilled,” she grinned, “I’ve never seen him so happy.” 

Tessa leaned in, gave her another quick squeeze. 

“I’m so happy for you. You deserve this, Jordan. You deserve to get everything you’ve ever wanted.” 

Jordan smiled at her before leaning in and pressing a kiss to her cheek. It took Tessa a moment to realize that she’d slid the heart just inside Tessa’s gown, securing it with the safety pin. 

“So do you,” Jordan said softly. “And you know what you want now, yeah? So go get him.” 

She left Jordan with their mother once more, squeezing her hands affectionately and promising to meet her in the wings of the sanctuary in almost exactly forty-five minutes. Tessa took off to the opposite side of the church, seeking out the men’s dressing section in hopes of finding Scott. 

Jordan was right, and, surprisingly, so was Poppy. Both of them had given her sound advice regarding Scott, and she knew in the deepest part of her heart that she wasn’t the only one who was hurting because of last night. Yes, Scott had upset her, but had she overreacted? He’d offered to give up his career, the career that he’d told her more than once that he’d loved. 

And if he loved his career and was willing to sacrifice it to be with her, what did that say about how he felt for her? 

Tessa found the men’s dressing room and rapped on the door quietly, clutching her cream shawl around her. There was a rustle on the other side of the door before it cracked open and Charlie’s face appeared, grinning when he saw Tessa. 

“Oh, hey, Tess.” It was only a few seconds before his face went from exuberant to panicked. “Is something wrong? Is Jordan okay?” 

“What?” She shook her head, “No, Jordan’s fine. She’s great. I’m not here about Jordan. I’m…” she attempted to peer behind him. “I’m looking for Scott, actually.” 

“Oh,” he exhaled, relieved. “Yeah. Okay. He’s nearly finished dressing. I’ll let him know you’re here.” 

“Thanks,” Tessa grinned at him, and he moved to disappear back into the room before Tessa spoke to him once more. “Oh, Charlie?”

His blonde head appeared once more, his face smooth and appearing boyishly handsome. 

“Yeah?” 

“Congratulations. You’re going to be an amazing dad.” 

A grin spread over his face and he pushed the door open wide enough to capture her in a hug. She returned his embrace, pressing a kiss to his cheek. 

“Thank you. It’ll be a lucky kid to have you for an aunt.” He gave her a sincere smile before squeezing her hand. “Give me a minute. I’ll send Scott out.” 

Tessa nodded, breathlessly watching him slip back into the room before pressing herself against the wall to wait. Her heart raced in her chest and she attempted to steady her breathing, thinking of what she would say to him when she saw him. Of course she wanted to apologize, to tell him that she’d overreacted, even if the thought of him vacationing with another woman (a client, as he’d insisted) made her feel sick. 

She’d have to suck up those unpleasant emotions, learn to deal with them in a way that didn’t involve lashing out at him. It was a job for him, she had to remind herself. It would be the same as her traveling to meet with a client to discuss business deals for her law firm… the only difference was that she didn’t climb into bed with the men. 

She tensed as the door opened a moment later, catching her breath as Scott stepped into the hallway. He caught her eyes, his lips parting as if he meant to say something that he couldn’t quite get out. 

“Scott…” she whispered his name, taking a step toward him. “I need to talk to you.” 

He blinked at her, and she expected to see the anger that had been in his eyes last night, but he looked tired instead, and it made her want to take him into her arms and kiss him until the soft frown disappeared from his face. Scott studied her for a moment, his eyes tracing the v of her dress and her slender hips before meeting her eyes once more. 

“You look beautiful,” he said softly, and the sincerity in his voice made her smile softly, tears springing to her eyes. 

“Thank you,” she was barely able to whisper the words in response. “Can I… can we talk?” 

Scott glanced back toward the closed door before nodding and stepping away, joining her in the middle of the hall. He didn’t speak, but watched her with dark, guarded eyes. 

“How’s it going?” She wondered, her eyes glancing at the closed door behind him. “Everyone ready?” 

“Almost,” he nodded, “Charlie’s ready, so that’s what’s most important. What about Jordan? How’s she holding up?” 

“Jordan’s good,” Tessa smiled softly. “She’s excited, but nervous. She’s afraid she’s going to trip down the aisle. She’s so graceful on ice and so clumsy off it.” 

The edges of Scott’s lips curled into a soft smile, and he let out a soft chuckle, but it sounded humorless. 

They stood silently for a moment, Tessa shifting on the balls of her feet before Scott cleared his throat softly. 

“So… you came here just to ask about the guys being ready?” He sounded disappointed. 

“No,” Tessa said after a brief silence, “no, I didn’t. I came here to apologize.” 

His eyebrows furrowed just slightly. 

“Apologize?” 

“Yeah. I need to apologize for last night. I freaked out and I ruined the night, and I… I let my jealousy get the best of me. And I don’t want it to end like this.” 

“End like what?” He asked, his voice soft. 

“With you upset with me,” she responded quickly. “We leave tomorrow, and I can’t even imagine going back to our lives and not speaking, especially after…” She felt the emotion rising in her throat and paused in an attempt to push it back down. “Especially after yesterday.” 

“Tess…” he said her name quietly. 

“You know I’m not good with this,” she reached out, placed a hand gently on his chest. “I’m so awful at saying what I really want to say, so just give me a minute, okay?” 

He nodded silently. She watched him, the words that she wanted to say racing through her mind. There was so much she could say, so many different things she could do to try to help him understand how bad she felt about what had happened. And while the thought of him sipping wine in Spain with a beautiful older woman hurt, she didn’t want it to be the reason things between them ended badly. 

But what could she say to convey her feelings? What would be heartfelt enough to show him that this wasn’t what she’d planned or wanted to happen? 

Absurdly, she thought back to her conversation with Poppy, the innocent advice given by the six-year-old. What had she said, again? 

_Tell him what made you sad. Tell him you’re sorry. Give him a hug._

“I’m sorry,” she said simply, after a moment. “I’m sorry that I led you to believe I didn’t trust you. I’m sorry that I hurt you, that you thought for even a moment that I wouldn’t do everything I could to make this work for us.” 

She wet her lips, clenched her jaw. 

“When you said you were still planning to go on that trip, I just couldn’t understand it. It felt like a betrayal, and I realize now how stupid that was, because we barely know each other. You don’t owe me anything. I’m sorry that I accused you of using your job as an excuse to spend time with other women. I’m really, truly sorry, Scott.”

He didn’t speak, and it took a moment, but he reached for her hand. He took it within his own, thumb tracing over the back of her knuckles. 

“You’re wrong, you know,” he said gently, his eyes finally meeting hers. 

Her eyebrows went up in question, her painted lips parting in question. 

“You’re wrong about us barely knowing each other. You’re wrong that I don’t owe you anything.” He continued to trace her knuckles, kept her eyes. “Do you remember that first day? You gave me that paper with your biography on it.”

“I remember,” she admitted dumbly, feeling foolish. 

“And I told you that the things I needed to know about you weren’t on that paper.” 

She hummed a soft sound of agreement. 

“And now, five days later, after all of our disagreements and all of the time we’ve spent together, I’ve learned something else about you. The most important thing I could possibly know.” His eyes searched her face, “You know what I’ve learned?” 

“No,” she whispered, but she could guess. She could surmise a million different things he’d come to realize about her in the past week, but she hoped it wasn’t any of those things. She hoped it wasn’t that she was selfish or arrogant, or even that she snored when she slept. She didn’t want it to be something bad, something he would take away from this place that tainted the memory of her. 

“What I’ve learned,” he said, his voice soft, fingers moving to brush her jawbone, tilting her head to bring his mouth to hers, “is that I’d rather fight with you than make love with anyone else.” 

He kissed her then, so tender and soft, so differently than any other time he had kissed her. Their lips barely brushed one another, but the effect on her was the same. His lips sent a jolt of electricity throughout her body, bringing alive every nerve ending from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. His kiss was enough to cause her eyes to close, enough to sink into his arms and press herself to his chest. She clutched his tuxedo jacket, wanting to pull him as close as humanly possible and suddenly wishing that these clothes weren’t between them. 

His lips left hers, but his arms continued to embrace her, his breath warm on her neck, his cologne filling her nostrils with his irresistible scent. 

“I have a friend,” he said softly, the transition so abrupt that she pulled away to study his face, but his arms held her securely against him. His voice was so soft in her ear that it tickled her, sent goosebumps racing over skin. “He works for the escort agency, too. I called him this morning.” 

When she pulled away this time to look at him, he allowed it. She met his eyes, dark and wide and apologetic. 

“I told him about you, about this week. I told him how I’d never met anyone like you, and that I needed his help.” Scott stroked Tessa’s arms, squeezed her hand gently. “I spoke to my client, I transferred the money. He’s always wanted to visit Madrid. Now he’ll get the chance.” 

Tessa blinked, her eyes filling with tears. A soft chuckle escaped Scott as he used his thumb to brush them away. 

“Scott...” she whimpered his name, “you didn’t have to do that for me.” 

“Then let’s say I did it for me,” he replied softly, his thumb moving to her lips, tracing the bow shape. “A trip with another woman is no way to start a new relationship.” 

She broke into a grin, but a quiet sob escaped her. He pulled her back into his arms, pressed a kiss against her temple. 

“I hope that’s a good cry, baby.” 

She laughed, pulled him in and kissed his lips softly. 

“It’s a very good cry. And I’m going to ruin my makeup.” 

“I’m sure Jordan will understand,” he smiled softly at her. “She’s been trying to get us together since we got here.” 

Tessa winced, smiled. 

“I guess she wasn’t very subtle about it, was she?” 

“No,” he laughed, “your sister is a lot of wonderful things, but subtle isn’t one of them. Anyway, I think when I get home, I’ll send her a fruit basket or something to say thank you.” 

Tessa laughed again, couldn’t resist the urge to kiss him once more. He made a quiet, contented noise against her lips, his hand moving to the small of her back.

“It’s almost time for the wedding,” he said quietly, reluctantly. “I don’t know how I’m going to stand not touching you up there.” 

Tessa kissed the corner of his lips, giggling as she wiped the lipstick from his mouth. 

“Well, luckily for us, we have the reception to look forward to.”

“And then the cottage,” he kissed her again softly, “and then… well, and then as long as you’ll have me.” 

“Oh yeah?” She grinned at him teasingly, “Well I’ve waited a long time for you, so you might not want to make any long-term plans.”

Scott returned her grin, chuckled. 

“Without you? Not a chance.”


	14. Tessa Actually Did Bring a Hooker to Jordan's Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is chapter 14 of 15. I've had so much fun with this story, and I'm so glad you all have liked it as well.   
I borrowed an idea for the speech from one of my other favorite romantic comedies, Wedding Crashers. We only have the epilogue to go now! Thank you all for joining me on this journey.

Jordan was beautiful. She looked ethereal in her ivory gown, her dark hair tied into a low bun at the base of her skull. She practically glimmered as she strolled down the aisle, her arm linked with their father’s. Tessa watched her, mesmerized by her beauty as she made her way to the altar. There was a hushed silence among the guests as their eyes followed her, and when Tessa caught sight of their mother weeping in the first pew, she had to swallow the emotion as it rose in her throat. 

As Jordan ascended the stairs to stand before the altar, she heard Charlie’s whispered intake of breath, saw the way his eyes widened slightly at the sight of her before him. Tessa watched them both, biting on her lip and blinking away the tears that already threatened to spill. 

As she looked past Jordan and Charlie as they positioned themselves across from each other, she caught Scott’s eye. He was watching her with a gentle smirk, undoubtedly amused by her display of emotion, but his eyes were soft and full of affection for her. He kept his eyes on her as the officiant began his speech, and she felt herself blush beneath his gaze. 

She’d been a part of many weddings, had stood beside several of her friends as they’d said their vows and had their first kiss as a married couple, but watching Jordan and Charlie was different, more meaningful somehow. Maybe it was because of the fact that she’d watched their relationship grow from childhood crush to a mature love, maybe it was because of the fact that she knew their child was developing within her sister’s womb. Either way, it was difficult to look away from the sight of them, fingers linked and eyes studying one another. 

She could feel Scott’s eyes watching her, wanted nothing more than to study his face as the officiant spoke, but she knew that if she allowed herself to focus on him, she’d get caught up in his eyes and his soft smile and the world around them would fade away. She would inevitably think of herself and Scott at that altar, hands clutching one another, her stomach fluttering with excitement at the idea. 

There was a poem read aloud by their mother, and then a bible passage quoted by Charlie’s. Tessa stood silently, watching the ceremony in a quiet state of awe, but when the officiant invited Jordan and Charlie to begin their vows, she felt herself take a quiet breath. 

“Charlie,” Jordan began, her voice trembling. “You’ve held my hand since I was seven years old. Through every trial and tribulation, through good times and silver medals,” this earned a ripple of laughter throughout the church, “you’ve always been right beside me. I’ve been so lucky to have a partner who loves and supports me more than I have sometimes loved myself. Thank you for never giving up on me, for believing in me, for being my number one fan. Thank you for holding my hand and standing beside me for the past two decades. And I…” she took a shuddering breath, wiped at her eyes as Tessa fought the tears in her own, “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my decades with you.” 

Tessa surveyed them, seeing the moisture in Charlie’s eyes as he watched her, a soft smile curving his lips. She swallowed as a tear rolled down Jordan’s cheek, her face blushing as Charlie reached, wiping it away gently with his thumb. He took an unsteady breath before exhaling softly and then speaking her name softly. 

“Jordan.” He glanced at the paper for a moment before looking into her eyes, speaking without glancing at the writing on the small sheet. “I knew I loved you from the time I was nine years old. You came into my life, this beautiful little girl with big green eyes and a heart of gold. You taught me how to be a better friend, partner, and eventually, man. You have given me the gift of unconditional love and shown me what commitment looks like. You have spent the past two decades proving to the world the definition of strength and beauty. I will spend the rest of my life proving to you that your beautiful heart, your brilliant mind, and your precious body are safe with me, forever.” 

Tessa sniffled, clutching the bouquet of white Asiatic lilies in her hands. She gazed at the flowers, wondered at the beauty of the delicate petals, thinking back to this morning, when the flowers had been delivered via refrigerated truck. Jordan had gasped at the bouquets, her slender fingers tracing the blooms, and Tessa had eyed Jordan, smiling softly. 

“White lilies?” She’d asked, glancing up at her older sister. “They’re beautiful. What do they mean?” 

“Life,” Jordan had marveled, “Purity. And motherhood.” 

Their eyes had met and Tessa had pulled her into a hug. 

Now, Charlie was the one learning into her, slipping the gold band onto her thin finger and then allowing her to do the same for him. She noticed his hands were trembling, could see Scott watching them from his place across the stairs from her, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the couple before her. 

When the officiant announced them as Mr. Charlie Jacobs and Mrs. Jordan Virtue-Jacobs, Charlie pressed himself close to her, catching her lips in a soft, intimate kiss that finally caused the tears to spill from Tessa’s eyes. The church erupted into applause and Tessa clapped along, half-laughing and half-sobbing at the emotion that bubbled up within her. She clutched her flowers with one hand, made eye contact and winked at Jordan as she turned to descend the stairs on Charlie’s arm. 

She wanted to throw her arms around her older sister and sob into her shoulder, wanted to tell her how happy she was that this had finally happened for her. She wanted to thank her for showing her what love looked and felt like, for being the person who had always guided and supported her through difficult times, but she would have to wait. There would be plenty of time for that later, after pictures and the first dance and her speech. 

Oh, God, her speech. She’d nearly forgotten about it. She’d spent the better part of the day racing around to help prepare for the wedding, and thinking only of Scott when she had a moment of spare time. She had a short, somewhat impersonal speech written on a piece of paper and folded into her clutch, but the more she thought of reading it aloud, the more anxious she suddenly became. 

Tessa wasn’t good with emotions; she wasn’t good with speaking them aloud, and sometimes wasn’t even good at feeling them. It was a struggle to put her thoughts into words, as evidenced by the way she turned into a stuttering fool around Scott when she tried to label her feelings. It wasn’t that she didn’t know what to say; it was just that speaking them aloud tended to elicit other emotions from herself and others, and that was another issue in itself. 

She watched Jordan and Charlie make their way up the aisle and fell in line with the best man, taking his arm and grinning at her mother as she passed her on the way down the aisle. She glanced toward Poppy, who stood at the base of the stairs in her flower girl dress side-eyeing Charlie’s nephew who was serving as the ring bearer. Poppy caught her eyes and beamed, Tessa waggling her fingers at her before following Jordan down the aisle. 

As the rest of the wedding party followed behind them, Tessa broke away from Henry, the best man, and sought out Scott. She grinned at him when she saw him, catching his arm. He appeared hesitant, his eyebrows furrowed in a look of concern. Tessa touched his chest, looking up at him. 

“Scott? What’s wrong?” She reached up to touch his smooth face, and when he looked back up at her, she saw the shine in his eyes. “Oh, my God. Are you… crying?” 

He sniffed, shrugged before turning away from her. 

“Weddings are just really emotional; you know? It was so beautiful.” 

“Oh,” Tessa’s lower lip protruded a little, her eyes going wide, “I know it was. I just… didn’t realize you were so sentimental.” 

Scott cleared his throat, wiped at his eyes. 

“There’s a reason I didn’t do weddings,” he confided in her quietly. Tessa laughed softly, placing a hand upon his back. Even through the jacket of his tuxedo, she could feel his strong back muscles and traced her fingertips over them. 

“You’re adorable.” 

His eyebrows furrowed, the area between his eyes wrinkling. 

“Adorable?” He asked, the corners of his lips turning down into a frown. “Is that a good thing?” 

She smiled, smoothed the crease in his brow with her thumb before kissing him gently. 

“It’s a very good thing. And you’re so much more than adorable. Need I remind you of last night?” 

He groaned softly, his hand falling upon her hip. 

“Can you remind me when we get back to the cottage tonight?” 

She smirked, giggled softly. 

“I think I can do that.” 

He swept her into a gentle hug, pressing a kiss against her jawline. She made a soft, contented noise, pressing her hands upon his chest. His hand traced gentle circles on her hip, studying her green eyes. 

“So, how are you feeling about your toast? You all ready?” 

His voice was soft and encouraging, but the thought of speaking in front of so many people caused her stomach to turn over and a groan of dread escaped her.

“I despise making speeches,” she disclosed quietly, glancing around her as the guests began to file from the church. “I don’t like addressing large groups of people. I don’t even like talking on the phone.” 

“I know,” he comforted her gently, stroking her hip, “but you’ve got this! Just read what you have written and it’ll be over before you know it.” 

“What I have written is crap,” she whispered, “I’ve never written a speech before, and everything I could think of just felt way too impersonal.” She hesitated for a moment, studying his face. “I think I should make it funny.” 

“Tess…” he glanced around them, took her gently by the elbow and guided her toward a corner of the atrium. “Please don’t try to be funny.” 

“Why not?” She shrugged, “People like funny!” 

“Yes,” he agreed, moving his hand to touch her chin gently, “but people like funny when it’s actually funny, sweetheart.” 

Tessa frowned, and the expression on her face made him chuckle softly. 

“It’s, uh… it’s not that you aren’t funny,” he added quickly, stuttering over his words. “Personally, I think you’re actually hilarious, but people like meaningful speeches at weddings. They want to feel something; you know? They want to be reminded that they’re in these uncomfortable clothes eating fancy foods for a reason, because almost all of them would prefer to be sitting in their underwear in front of the television.”

Tessa sighed, considering him. He watched her with soft, concerned eyes. 

“People want to feel like they’re in the presence of true love,” he continued after a moment. “It helps them feel connected, maybe a little less hopeless. Especially with a couple like Jordan and Charlie. They’ve waited decades for this day, babe. What people want to hear is what’s in your heart.” He curled his fingers around hers, pressed them delicately to her chest, just above her heart. 

Tessa’s eyes studied his face, the corners of her lips curling up into a gentle smile as she watched him. 

“I know,” she nodded, “you’re right.” 

A relieved smile crossed his face and he sighed softly. 

“You’re right,” she said once more, before leaning in and kissing his lips gently. “But I’m still going to go with funny.”

\--

The reception venue was incredible; its vaulted ceilings were strewn with fairy lights, the environment taking on an otherworldly glow as guests mingled throughout the building. 

Jordan and Charlie had entered the reception to applause, the wedding party filtering in before them. Tessa stood close to Scott, pressing herself against him, overwhelmed by the feelings of safety and contentment that coursed through her at the feeling of him beside her. She reached for his hand without fully realizing it, feeling herself smile as he took her fingers before bringing the back of her hand to his mouth and placing a soft kiss upon it. 

She smiled at him, dimples pressing into her cheeks at the sight of his handsome face. He pulled him to her, his hands falling upon her hips as they began to sway to the music the band played. She turned her face up to him, beaming as he tilted his face to study her. He leaned in to her, pressed a gentle kiss against her lips. 

“I can’t believe this week is basically over,” she rested her head upon his chest, allowed herself to close her eyes and take in the beat of his heart, audible even beneath the strum of the band’s instruments. “It feels like we just got here.” 

“It’s been a hell of a week,” he admitted, his hand tracing up her spine, brushing her dark hair from her shoulders. “But now we can get home. I can take you out on an actual date.” 

“I don’t know,” she shrugged, grinning up at him, gliding with him across the floor, “I feel like this week has been one really long first date. I mean we’ve been to dinner, we’ve played hockey…” 

“We took that sexy dance class,” he added, and Tessa grinned at him, her hip purposely moving to press against him. He groaned softly, chuckling. “And then, you know… there was last night.” 

“And the night before that,” she murmured against his neck, kissing him there gently. 

He looked down at her, smiled at her softly as they moved to the melody of the music. Tessa closed her eyes, allowed herself to be overcome by the music, his familiar smell, the feel of his arms around her. She allowed herself to be swayed to the music before looking back up at him, a mischievous grin pressing across her lips. 

“You know, there’s something I wanted to ask you.” 

His eyebrows went up a little. 

“What is it?” 

“I’m just… it seems like we’ve known each other for so much longer than a week. I feel like I’ve known you forever.” 

“Well, it’s been a little longer than two weeks,” he corrected her, “We met at that bar first.” 

“Yeah,” she turned her face into her shoulder, “that’s what I wanted to ask you.” 

He paused briefly in his movement, glancing down at her, one eyebrow arched. 

“About the bar?” 

“Mmhmm,” she nodded tilting her chin up to him. “Well, about the girl you met at the bar.” 

“Oh?” He wondered, “You mean Jane?” 

Tessa blushed, shrugged. 

“I guess I just would like to know what you thought of me. Of Jane, rather.” 

He smiled at her, his thumb circling her hip. 

“I thought you were beautiful,” he said softly, the two of them moving in time to the music, lost in the bubble of their own world. “You were sexy and confident.” 

“Yeah?” She asked quietly, “But I mean… beyond that. What did you think when I approached you?” 

“Honestly? I was blown away. You just seemed so… cool.”

Tessa laughed, placing a hand upon his chest. 

“And now? Do you think I’m uncool?” 

“God, no,” he grinned, “you’re the coolest girl I know. And yet, somehow… still kind of a nerd.” 

Tessa rolled her eyes playfully. 

“If I had given you my number that first night,” she asked softly, “what do you think would have happened?” 

He watched her, considering. She felt exposed beneath his gaze, her heart racing at the silence. 

“Well,” he said after a moment, “you probably wouldn’t have had to spend six thousand dollars to get me here, for one.” 

She blinked up at him. 

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “I liked you, Tess. I liked you a lot. I spent the next week thinking about you. In fact, I thought about trying to find you, but where would I have even looked? All I had was your first name, and… as it turns out, it wasn’t even your actual first name.”

The sadness in his eyes made her look away from him, a sense of guilt rising within her. 

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I should have been honest with you. I just wanted to check you out, I guess. And… for what it’s worth, I really liked you, too.” 

The corner of his lips curved into a smile and he tilted his head at her, stroking her hip. 

“That reminds me. There’s something I wanted to talk to you about, too.” His voice took on a serious tone, lips pressing together in a thin line. His embrace on her didn’t loosen, and he gave no indication that he intended to pull away from her, but Tessa felt her grip on his bicep tighten just a bit. 

“About what?” She asked, her voice low. His words instilled a sense of fear within her, a question that she didn’t know the answer to. What had she done now? She’d apologized, she’d been on her best behavior, she was sure of that. She recognized now that perhaps she’d been a little too abrasive him with at first, had pushed too hard, had demanded too much for her money, but he’d risen to meet every challenge. In more ways than one. 

“About the money,” he said after a moment, one hand still on her lower back. “I can’t keep it. It’s not right.” 

“Scott,” she sighed his name in relief, placed a hand on his chest. “It’s your money. You earned it. You’ve done… more than I expected of you this week.”

“Tess,” he shook his head, clutching her hand, “it’s different now. It’s not a business deal anymore. I can’t keep the money. Maybe we could use it for a vacation, or get a-”

There was the squeal of a microphone’s feedback and Tessa turned away from him, glancing toward the band. She noticed Jordan and Charlie making their way toward the wedding party’s table, settling into their seats as Jordan adjusted her ivory dress around her legs. 

“Oh,” Tessa met Scott’s eyes worriedly, “it’s time for the toasts.” 

He offered her an encouraging smile, slid both of his hands to her hips. 

“You’re going to do fine. More than fine. You’ll be incredible. Just be yourself.” 

“My unfunny self?” She smirked at him as they began to move toward the table, sliding out of his grasp. 

He faked a laugh, rolling his eyes playfully at her. She winked, blew a kiss at him before moving to sit beside Jordan at the table. Jordan caught her eye, offered her a tiny smile before mouthing the words thank you to her. Tessa nodded, accepted the microphone from Charlie’s hand before he settled in his seat beside Jordan. 

Tessa clutched the microphone in her grip, wet her lips as she stared out at the guests seated at the tables covered in white linen cloths before exhaling softly. Her breath echoed through the building, and a few guests chuckled at the moment of uncertainty before Tessa spoke softly. 

“I, uh…” She glanced at the crowd before her, making eye contact briefly with her mother, father, family friends. She caught sight of Poppy, who was shifting in her seat, tiny face flushed from being on the dance floor just moments before. “I’m Tessa. As you all know. Or maybe you don’t know, because maybe we haven’t met before. But… I’m Jordan’s sister.” 

She took another breath, attempted to swallow her nerves. 

“But what you all definitely do know is that Jordan and Charlie have been partners in ice dance for over two decades. That’s not the only thing they have in common, though. They both like the color green, like Jordan’s eyes, and money…” she giggled nervously, glancing around the room at the stoic faces. “Uh. Both of them dislike the color silver…” she cleared her throat, “you know, because of Sochi. They… they won silver instead of gold.” 

There was a definitive silence throughout the room, uncomfortable glances and guests shifting in their chairs. Tessa’s heart began to race, the flush of embarrassment rising in her cheeks and chest. She glanced helplessly toward Jordan, who watched her with wide green eyes, and then caught Scott’s gaze. He wordlessly put a hand to his heart, patted it softly. 

Immediately, she understood. He’d suggested she speak from her heart, say all of the things she hadn’t written on that tiny piece of paper, all of the things she thought but had trouble expressing. And as she studied Scott, his hand pressed to his heart, she remembered the felt heart Jordan had pinned to the inside of her gown. It was as if its presence was tangible, the decades of love and attachment that the two of them had shared, radiating against her left breast. 

“Jordan has been my best friend since the day I was born,” she said slowly, her voice softer now. “She made it her mission in life to show me the ropes, whether that meant pulling me around in a baby carriage or helping me learn to shave.” 

The crowd laughed softly, and Tessa heard Jordan giggle beside her. 

“Even with her busy schedule, she always managed to make time for me, and that continues even now, well into adulthood. She’s always there when I need a shoulder to cry on, and she always keeps my secrets, no matter how juicy they may be. I couldn’t ask for a better sister or a better friend.” 

Jordan sniffled beside her, wiping at her eyes. Tessa reached out, squeezing her hand reassuringly before turning her attention to Charlie. 

“I met Charlie when I was four years old, and right away, he was like another older brother. He was there to tease me when the situation called for it, and to hug me when I needed it. Once, when we were out riding our bikes together, I fell and scraped my knee up. He carried me all the way home, never once complained about the blood I got on his Blue Jays jersey. That’s when I knew he was a keeper.” 

Another wave of laughter rippled through the audience, and Tessa swallowed, though she could already feel the emotion building within her. 

“Jordan and Charlie have always been the paradigm of a loving, supportive relationship for me. They’ve cherished one another, day in and day out, on and off the ice, and have always been each other’s number one fans. They’ve spent their lives building this fairy-tale love, and I am so happy to be able to watch their happily-ever-after unfold. I love both of you.” 

The crowd of guests applauded, and after she raised her champagne glass into the air in a toast, they responded in kind. Jordan pulled her down into a hug, sobbing softly into her neck as Tessa stroked her back. She mumbled her appreciation into Tessa’s shoulder, and when Tessa slid back into her seat beside her, Jordan reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. 

Tessa peered past the best man as he rose to give his speech, catching Scott’s eye. He smiled at her, gave her a demure thumbs-up as she flushed, grinning at him in response. 

As the best man spoke, her eyes darted around the large room, but when she saw Brad, her jaw clenched. She glanced toward Jordan, desperate to see if her older sister had noticed him as well, but Jordan was looking lovingly at the best man and then Charlie, a pretty smile on her face. 

Tessa turned back to him, her eyes tracking his movement, barely listening to what Henry was saying. Brad was doing his best to stay on the outskirts of the room, a bottle of beer in his hand, his eyes meeting Tessa’s with laser focus. She felt goosebumps prickle her skin and made an effort to catch Scott’s eye, but when she was unsuccessful, she turned back to Brad. 

She hadn’t seen him at the wedding, though to be fair, she’d been distracted by the beauty of Jordan and Charlie’s vows and then Scott’s handsome face, and she hadn’t been looking for Brad. She was surprised he’d had the nerve to show up after the scene he’d made at the rehearsal, and her wrist ached at the simple memory of the event. The red marks had faded into light bruises, and she moved her hands from the table and into her lap as she kept Brad’s eye contact. 

When the best man finished his speech, Tessa watched as Brad made a swift movement toward the stage, grabbing for the microphone as it was handed back to the band. Jordan and Charlie were still distracted, but Scott had noticed Tessa’s rising panic and looked toward her, pushing himself to his feet. 

“I just…” Brad dodged the singer’s swipe for the microphone, stumbling away from the stage and causing both Jordan and Charlie to glance up at him suddenly. “I just want to make a quick announcement. Charlie and Jordan, you know I’m really happy for you, but uh… I don’t have much to say about that right now. Really, what I want to say concerns your sister, Jordan. This is about Tessa.” 

Tessa felt the rage beginning to grow in her chest, could feel her skin warming and saw Scott move away from the table and toward Charlie. Jordan watched, horrified, as Brad evaded Scott, moving through the rows of tables while clutching the microphone. 

“As most of you know, Tess and I used to be a couple. We were together for nearly two years. She’s a catch, right? Isn’t she beautiful? I was an idiot to let her get away.” 

“Brad,” Tessa hissed his name, “stop. You’re making a fool out of yourself.” She glanced toward Jordan, their green eyes meeting as Jordan shook her head unsurely. 

“He’s not supposed to be here,” Jordan assured her, reaching to touch Charlie’s arm. “Babe, make him leave.” 

“Yeah,” Charlie stood immediately, placing a gentle hand upon Jordan’s back as he guided himself away from the table. 

“No,” Brad noticed Charlie beginning toward him and moved once more, cutting through the tables to cross the room. “I’m just going to say one quick little thing, Charles. All I want to say is that I was stupid to let Tess go, but luckily for her, she found a new man. She found Scott. Have you all met Scott?” Brad’s voice was tight with anger. “He’s a great guy. He’s just great. If you haven’t met him, make sure you do, although…” he paused for a moment, pretended to consider his words. “I’m willing to bet that at least one or two of the women in this room have been very familiar with him at one time or another.” 

Tessa glanced toward Scott, and immediately she understood. Before she could say anything to dissuade him, Brad met her gaze. 

“Why’s that, you ask? Well, I’ll be happy to tell you. I’ve done some research, and some of you may be familiar with him because Scott is not a typical wedding date. Scott’s actually a-”

“Brad!” Tessa called to him, “What is wrong with you?” 

He eyed her for a moment, watching her with narrowed eyes. For a moment, she thought he might drop the microphone, either on purpose or on accident based on the way he seemed to stagger with the bottle of alcohol in his hand. She wondered how many bottles had preceded the one he currently held. 

“You see, Tessa brought a male hooker to her older sister’s wedding, and for the hefty sum of six-thousand Canadian dollars, you too can hire Scott to spend the week with you.” 

Tessa clenched her jaw, looked toward Scott and shook her head. She wasn’t sure what she expected to see in his face; humiliation, perhaps? Anger? And it was there, though when he met her eyes, she could see it was on her own behalf. What did he have to be ashamed of? He’d made a good living doing this, had gone to so many exotic places and undoubtedly met some fascinating people. Any anger in Scott’s face was for her, not himself. 

“And I should have known,” Brad spoke hurriedly as Charlie began to advance on him, “that she’d need to hire someone to bring with her, because as beautiful as Tess is, I think that even Scott would have to admit that she’s a bit of a bitch.”

A few guests gasped, and though Tessa knew that humiliation should be coursing through her veins, she felt nothing but indignation.

“Oh, fuck this,” Jordan murmured beneath her breath, pushing herself away from the table. Tessa sat wordlessly, her lips parted in disbelief. 

“And Kate, Mama Virtue, wherever you are,” he panted as he moved through the room a few steps ahead of Charlie, “I’d just say to enjoy Jordan’s lovely wedding, because there’s no man in his right mind who’s going to ask your baby girl for her hand in marriage.”

Charlie apprehended him suddenly, knocking the microphone from his hand. There was a scuffle and Charlie began to drag Brad toward the exit of the building, Jordan following closely behind him, her beautiful ivory gown dragging on the floor as she walked. Tessa and Scott glanced at one another before both of them pushed away from the table, hurrying after them. 

By the time Tessa and Scott caught up with them, Charlie was struggling with pushing the door open, Brad’s head still locked within his arms. 

“Wait!” Jordan called to her husband, and Scott began to move past Tessa to confront Brad, but she placed her hand on his chest, stopping him. 

“Don’t throw him out yet. There’s something I need to say to you, Brad.” Jordan hissed his name with a malice Tessa had never heard from her as she approached the man. Charlie released him from the headlock and held him securely by the shoulders, preventing him from moving any closer to his new wife. 

“You,” Jordan stepped to him, bringing him no more than a foot apart, “are a disgusting excuse for a human being. You were lucky to have my sister when you did, and let me tell you right now that if you ever make her feel less than perfect again, I’ll find you, and you’ll wish I hadn’t. Get the fuck out of my wedding reception, Bradley.” 

Jordan turned, took a few steps away from the door before pausing. She met Tessa’s bewildered eyes, turned once more, marched up to Brad and punched him in the face before gripping Tessa’s arm and stalking away. 

Tessa hurried to keep up with her, and as they made their way back into the reception, Jordan broke into laughter. Tessa couldn’t help it; the anger had seemed to dissipate immediately, and she began to laugh as well. Guests studied them as they made their way back to the wedding party’s table, uncertain and confused at the sudden turn of events. Jordan settled back into her seat, grinning at Tessa over the chatter of the guests. The band hesitated for just a moment before starting up once more. 

It was a few minutes before the room settled, and Jordan leaned in to Tessa, her mouth close to her younger sister's ear. 

"Hey, are you okay?" 

Tessa glanced at her, shrugged. 

"I'm sorry he ruined your reception, Jord," Tessa felt her eyes burning as Jordan slid an arm around her sister's shoulders, hugging her close. 

"God, Tess, don't worry about it. He's an asshole. I'm just glad I finally got to punch someone, too." 

Tessa laughed softly, leaning her head against Jordan's shoulder. 

"What I mean is," Jordan said after a moment, "is how are you feeling about being exposed?" 

Tessa picked her head up, met her sister's eyes. 

"Well," she sighed, "I mean, I did hire a hooker." 

Jordan's eyes narrowed, a sly grin crossing her face. 

"I thought you said he wasn't a hooker." 

"Well I paid him to be here," Tessa said thoughtfully, "but the sex ended up being free. Does that count?" 

Jordan howled with laughter, and Tessa broke into giggles so raucous that tears streamed down her cheeks. 

Dinner was superb, and gradually Brad seemed to be forgotten. Guests talked and laughed casually, watching as Jordan and Charlie smashed cake into one another’s faces, giggling as they kissed it off the other’s mouth. Scott pressed himself close to Tessa, his hand reluctant to leave her hip even as Jordan clutched her bouquet, grinning, preparing to toss it into the crowd of waiting women. Tessa kept his eyes as she positioned herself on the dance floor, Poppy pushing into the tight space next to her, grinning up at her. 

Jordan studied her guests, turned, and then paused before flinging the bouquet behind her. Tessa giggled, reaching for the bouquet as it flew through the air. It fell on the floor, no more than eight inches away from her, but before she could grab it, Poppy scrambled onto the floor, snatching it up. She hopped on her tiny feet excitedly, squealing as she clutched the bouquet in her hands. Tessa laughed, turned to Scott and shrugged playfully. 

She made her way back to him, feigning dejection as he slid his arms around her. 

“Well, I always expected Jordan to get married before me, but Poppy…” she laughed, and Scott pulled her close, pressed a kiss to her temple. She hugged him, turning only when she saw his eyes follow movement until it seemed to stop beside him. 

Tessa pulled away, meeting Poppy’s wide, dark eyes, the bouquet clutched in her arms. 

“My mommy told me the person who catches the bouquet has to get married next,” Poppy shook her head, shuddered. “Boys are gross. You can have it, Aunt Tessa.” She offered the flowers to Tessa, who met Scott’s eyes before laughing softly. 

Scott smiled down at the little girl, shifted to squat before her. 

“I have a feeling your Aunt Tessa won’t need that bouquet. Why don’t you keep it?”

Poppy looked unsurely between Scott and Tessa, and when Tessa nodded her approval, Poppy grinned once more and hopped in place excitedly. She moved to walk away when Scott called her name, causing her to turn, watching him expectantly. 

“Next dance,” he asked, grinning at her, “you and me?” 

Poppy bit her lip, blushed before nodding and scurrying back to her parents. Tessa touched his face gently as he rose back to his full height. 

“You’re so sweet with her,” her fingertips skimmed his jaw. “But do me a favor, will you?” 

“Anything,” he smiled at her. 

Tessa leaned in, pressed a kiss to his lips. 

“Save the last dance for me.” 

Tessa settled into her seat, watching as Scott took the dance floor with Poppy, her tiny feet standing on his as they moved. He held her hands, moving her slowly and then quickly to the music, making her throw her blonde head back in laughter. Tessa couldn’t help but smile as she watched them, the pure joy on both of their faces obvious as they twirled together. 

At one point, Scott lifted her into his arms, swinging her to the beat of the music. Tessa laughed aloud, and without even realizing it, her mind went to a place it hadn’t gone since she’d been with Brad in what she’d believed had been a happy relationship. Suddenly, she could see Scott holding their daughter, twirling her in the same white dress, both of them laughing. She could imagine a little girl with his dark hair and her green eyes, a little girl who loved hockey and who wouldn’t learn the truth about how her mommy and daddy met until she was at least eighteen. 

Scott looked up, met her eyes, and though it was crazy, somehow she wondered if he was thinking the same thing. He brushed his dark hair from his face, gave Poppy a final twirl as the music came to a close. He completed the dance by taking her tiny hand, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand before moving to return to Tessa. 

He slid into the seat beside her, his arm resting against the back of her seat as he leaned in, pressing his forehead close to hers. 

“I think Poppy might have just changed her mind about boys being gross,” Tessa giggled as her niece wiggled her fingers at Scott before skipping back to join her parents. 

“Yeah, she’s cute,” he grinned at her, “but unfortunately for her, there’s a really beautiful girl I’m already interested in.” 

“Oh?” Tessa arched an eyebrow, straightened her posture a bit. “Do I know her?” 

Scott grinned, leaned in to kiss her gently. 

“Maybe. How well do you know yourself?” 

Tessa took a soft breath, their lips a hair’s width apart. 

“Not as well as I thought I knew myself two weeks ago,” she admitted softly. 

Scott brushed her dark hair from her face, tucked it behind her ear gently. 

“Well then,” he said with a smile, “I guess we’re both going to enjoy learning more about you, huh?”


	15. Tessa Gets Her Happily Ever After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. Thank you to everyone who has come along for this journey. I'm kind of emotional about this one ending, though I hope you'll also enjoy what comes after. There was a lot I wanted (and tried) to include, but I'm sure I forgot something. Thank you to everyone who helped me with this story along the way, and to everyone who continues to support my writing. It may not seem like much, but it's an incredible outlet for me.

“Right hand red.” 

Tessa met Scott’s eyes, a mischievous grin curling the edges of his lips. She felt herself flush beneath his gaze, kept his eyes as she shifted to her knees, used her right hand to unbutton her jeans. She heard Scott take a soft breath, his gaze skimming down her tight belly, eyes lingering at the waist of her jeans as she unzipped them. 

Tessa grinned, wiggled her hips as she slid out of her skinny jeans, exposing the black panties beneath. Tessa stood only briefly, tugging her pants off her legs before tossing them across the room. She stood momentarily before him, studying his face as he took in the sight of her in only her bra and panties. Giggling, she slid back onto the Twister mat, resuming her former position, altered only by placing her right hand on a red dot. 

Scott continued watching her, his chest rising and falling with some effort as she contorted her body. 

“You know,” she smirked up at him, “we’ve been together for almost eight months now. This isn’t the first time we’ve played strip Twister. You’d think you’d be used to this sight by now.” 

Biting his lip, he allowed the hand that wasn’t currently positioned on a colored dot to reach out, stroking his fingertips over the lace of her bra. 

“Babe, no matter how long we’re together, I’m never going to be used to the sight of you like this,” he rasped. 

Tessa laughed once more, nudging the spinner toward him. 

“Your turn.” 

Scott sighed, dropping his hand before flicking the spinner. 

“Left foot blue.” 

She kept her gaze on him, watching as he shifted, tugging at the edge of his shirt. He still wore his t-shirt and jeans, had been given an advantage only because of the fact that he’d started the game with his socks on. Tessa had learned her lesson once, almost eight months ago in that cottage on Lake Huron, and now the stakes of the game were higher. She’d surprised him with the game two months ago, the package arriving to his door from Amazon, a simple note included: _Strip Twister, my place?_

He’d rushed over to her house that night, board game in hand. 

Since then, they’d made it a regular activity. On rainy nights, lazy evenings, on days that ended with a y, they’d open the board game and make a wager. It was always the same; for each spin, they removed an article of clothing. The first person who fell owed the other a sexual favor, igniting a fierce competition between the two of them, though by the end of the night, neither of them cared who had won.

Tessa sucked in a quiet breath as Scott tugged his shirt over his head, exposing his toned chest. When he caught her eyes, he chuckled softly. 

“I thought you said we should be used to this by now,” he teased her, repositioning himself on the mat. Tessa grinned, rolled her eyes. 

“Yeah, well…” her voice faded as she studied his body, suddenly wishing that they’d spared the game and had gone straight into the action. 

“All right,” he smiled, settling into his spot. “Your spin… and I don’t know if you know this, but… you’ve only got two articles of clothing to go.”

“Oh?” She feigned shock, “I had no idea. I thought the room felt drafty.” 

He slid the spinner toward her. 

“Spin, Tess.” His voice sounded breathier now, and she laughed, her dark hair falling over her shoulder as she gazed at him. 

“You’re getting impatient,” she teased, “maybe I should just…”

Tessa’s cellphone rang, the shrill sound breaking her concentration, causing her to look toward her phone where it charged on her nightstand. 

She turned back to look at Scott, a self-satisfied smirk crossing his face. 

“Better get that,” he grinned, “it could be important.” 

“Oh, I’m sure,” she made a show of wiggling her hips as she flicked the spinner. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” 

“Yeah,” he watched her, his eyes dark with lust, “I really would.”

“Well,” her eyes followed the arrow as it slid to a stop. _Right foot yellow._ “Unfortunately for you, I remember the rules. Any disruption counts as an automatic loss, and I fully intend on winning.” 

He sighed dramatically, watched her with rapt attention as she slid her foot into its spot, her hands moving to the front clasp of her bra, pausing as her two front teeth chewed on her lower lip. The phone quieted, and once there was nothing but the soft sound of central air conditioning blowing through the vents, she allowed the bra to fall open. 

Scott cursed softly beneath his breath, his eyes drawn to her breasts. She could see his fingers curling on the mat, undoubtedly desperate to reach out and brush his fingers over her nipples to watch them harden. Tessa abandoned her bra somewhere beside her, pushing out her chest and letting out a sinful sigh as he exhaled heavily. 

“Maybe we could,” he suggested, eyeing the spinner only briefly as she pushed it toward him with her foot, “call a truce?” 

“A truce?” She scoffed, “Weren’t you just about to throw me under the bus for checking my phone?” 

“Well, that was…” he wet his lips, stammered, unable to tear his eyes away from her exposed breasts. “I was younger then, stupider.” 

“Oh were you?” Tessa laughed, “I don’t know… I mean… it looks like something is making you pretty stupid right now.” She glanced down at her chest, lifted a hand to indicate her breasts. “Oh, wait. Are these what are making you stupid?” 

“Jesus, Tess,” he groaned, “I just need-”

The phone trilled once more, both of them now turning to look toward the sound. Tessa sighed, looked back at Scott. 

“Maybe it’s important.” 

“You should definitely check,” he raised his eyebrows, waggling them at her. 

“Ugh,” she groaned, “you’re playing dirty.” She rolled off the Twister mat to a quiet hiss of victory from Scott. He lowered himself to his knees, watching as she moved toward her phone, grabbing it from the charger and swiping the screen to answer it. 

“Hello?” 

“Hey,” Charlie breathed into the phone, “Tess, it’s… it’s time.” 

“Oh my God,” Tessa exhaled, glancing toward Scott, whose face had suddenly gone serious. “Okay, we’re on our way.” She glanced down at herself, half-naked, and scurried across her bedroom to search for her bra. 

“Get here as soon as you can, eh?” Charlie asked. Tessa nodded before disconnected the call, tossing the phone on her bed. 

“Scott,” she addressed him as she searched through the various items of clothing spread around her floor, searching for the bra she’d taken off just moments before, “we have to get to the hospital.” 

“Oh,” he was alert suddenly, clamoring to his feet, “Right now?” 

“Yeah,” she picked up his shirt, tossed it to him somewhat reluctantly. “Where’s my bra?” 

“Uh…” he glanced around the room as he tugged his shirt over his head. “I don’t...” She glanced to him desperately, and he sighed. “I’m gonna be honest, Tess. I wasn’t looking at your bra at that point.” 

Tessa groaned, laughing before she rushed to her dresser to pull out another. She slid it on, then reached for her jeans, slipping her feet into the denim before tugging them up over her hips. She caught Scott’s eyes as she redressed, and he offered her a small, pained smile. 

“Hey,” she crossed the room after she’d pulled her hair into a low ponytail, pressing herself close to his chest, allowing herself to brush against the swell in his jeans. “I’ll make it up to you later. Promise.” 

“Yeah?” He traced a hand up her back, “Even though I, as you put it, was playing dirty?”

“Well,” she smirked at him, “we did set the rule that whoever ends the game is the loser. Fair is fair. And let’s be honest, Scott… the only thing that’s dirty is what I’m going to do to you when we get home.”

She pressed herself to her toes, caught his lips in a sensual kiss before breaking away from him and hurrying out of the bedroom. Scott followed a moment later, moving down the hall and toward the front door. Tessa’s hand fell upon the doorknob before she sighed and moved to double back toward the bedroom. 

“The gift,” she sighed, and Scott stopped her, holding out a tiny gift bag stuffed with delicate tissue paper. 

“Got it.” 

She laughed softly, tilted her head at him. 

“You’re the best.” She smiled at him, moved once more to open the door before pausing and turning to him once more. “I love you.” 

Her words made him grin, the corners of his eyes crinkling with the smile. 

“I love you.” 

It didn’t matter how many times they’d said the words now; they always struck her speechless for a moment. They’d been together for a little over three months the first time he’d whispered them to her in bed one night. It was dark, and she wondered if he’d believed she’d been asleep. Hearing the words had been an overwhelming relief; she’d fought speaking them aloud so many times herself that she couldn’t stop herself from rolling over, pressing herself against him and telling him so. 

Neither of them had gotten any sleep that night.

“You okay?” He asked suddenly, reaching for her hand as they made their way to her car. 

“Yeah,” she grinned at him as she slid into the passenger seat, “A little bit nervous. A lot excited.” 

They drove to the hospital in a comfortable quiet, Scott’s hand on hers the entire way. She glanced toward him, watching his profile as the car coasted down the street. He caught her watching him, squeezed her hand. 

“What’s going through that pretty mind of yours?” He questioned.

She smiled at him, shook her head. 

“I’m just thinking about how far we’ve come. How, when we first met, we couldn’t stand one another, and now… I don’t think I could stand not to have you in my life.” 

“Hey,” he teased softly, “who said I couldn’t stand you?” 

“You didn’t have to say it,” she shrugged, “I couldn’t stand myself, either.” 

“Tess,” he chided her gently, “you were heartbroken. And look what a difference a week made.” 

She felt the edges of her lips curve into a smile, wished desperately they were at home so she could curl into the crook of his arm and breathe in his addictive scent. 

“It wasn’t the week,” she shook her head, “it was finding you.” 

He glanced toward her, surprised. 

“If I’d gone to that wedding without you, I would have come home the same way I’d left. Bitter. Heartbroken. Devastated. And instead,” she squeezed his hand, “I came home with the most amazing guy I’ve ever known.” 

The easy smile that crossed his face made her heart race, and he lifted her hand, brought it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. 

Scott pulled in the drive to the hospital, both of them waiting in eager silence as he searched for a place to park the car. After he’d pulled into an empty spot, Tessa slid out of the vehicle and reached for his hand as they walked to the entrance of the building. It was late, and there weren’t many people around, but Tessa located the closest information desk to ask for directions. 

They began up one long hallway and then another, finding a bank of elevators and pressing close to one another as the cars rose. When the doors opened, Tessa stepped onto the floor, glancing at Scott. He nodded, following her as she made her way through another beige hallway and to a locked door. After being given permission to enter, she moved down the hallway quickly, searching for the room number Charlie had texted her. 

As Tessa rose her hand to knock on the closed door, it opened, and Charlie emerged, breathless and grinning. 

“Oh my God,” Tessa pulled him into a hug, holding him close, “I’m sorry we didn’t get here sooner, we had to…” _Get dressed? Wait for Scott’s erection to subside?_ She shook her head, “We got here as soon as we could.” 

“No, Tess,” Charlie touched her back, pulled away gently, “you’re just in time. They just brought her back.” There was a dreamy quality to his voice, his eyes blurred with something between disbelief and joy. 

“How’s my sister?” Tessa asked. 

“She’s perfect,” he shook his head, smiling. “They’re perfect. Come in.” 

Tessa glanced back at Scott, who squeezed her shoulder comfortingly before Charlie pushed the door open, leading them into the hospital room. 

It was a comfortably-sized room, made to resemble home with little touches that surely went unnoticed to most patients and their families considering the reason they assembled here. Immediately, Tessa’s eyes fell upon Jordan in the bed, her arms cradling an impossibly tiny baby. 

Jordan glanced up, and upon seeing Tessa, let out a joyous sob. Tessa hurried over to her, pressing a kiss upon her older sister’s forehead, studying the exhaustion and joy in her eyes before even allowing herself to glance at the child. 

“How are you feeling?” She wondered, touching her sister’s face. Every part of her ached to study the newborn, but Jordan needed to know that she was, first and foremost, concerned about her. 

“I’m tired,” she admitted softly, “but I’m happy. So happy.” 

With her words, Tessa allowed herself to focus on the newborn in her arms. The baby wore only a diaper and a tiny hat, pink skin exposed as Jordan clutched the baby to her chest. She’d tugged her hospital gown down to allow for maximum skin-to-skin contact, and the baby was snuggled against her mother’s chest, eyes closed in a restful sleep. 

“Oh my God,” Tessa breathed the words, daring to reach out and trace a fingertip over one delicate arm. “Oh, God, Jord, she’s perfect.” 

“I know,” Jordan laugh-sobbed once more, her own eyes falling to study her daughter. “I know she is. I’ve never seen anything more perfect in my life.” 

Tessa took a shuddering breath, eyes taking in the soft curve of the newborn’s face, her tiny, upturned nose, her perfect bow lips. A sprinkling of golden-brown hair peeked from beneath the pink hat the nurses had placed daintily upon her head. 

“How big is she?” Tessa wondered, glancing up to look at Scott for the first time since they’d entered the room. He stood a few foot away, eyes drawn to the baby, a gentle smile upon his lips. 

“Seven pounds, four ounces,” Jordan whispered, tracing a finger over the baby’s tiny cheek. “Twenty-one inches long.”

“Samantha Grace Jacobs,” Charlie spoke softly, and Tessa looked up to meet Jordan’s gaze. 

“Sam,” Jordan whispered, smiling at Tessa.

Tessa sucked in a quiet breath, her eyes filling with tears at the name. It had been her childhood nickname, used affectionately by her older siblings until she’d been a teenager and had insisted on being called by her legal name. Jordan had continued to use the name after her brothers had stopped, though only on rare occasions. 

“Sam?” Tessa asked, her voice breaking. 

Jordan nodded. 

“My new little human,” Jordan whispered, “named after my favorite little human.” 

Tessa wrapped an arm around her older sister, resting her head on Jordan’s. 

“I love you,” Tessa said softly, “and I love her. You did so good, sis.” 

“I love you, too,” Jordan grinned at her, her brown hair lying flat against her head. “The Olympics were nothing compared to that.” 

Tessa laughed, lifted a hand to signal for Scott to come closer. He took a few steps, marveling at the baby. 

“She’s beautiful, Jordan, Charlie. Congratulations.” He caught Tessa’s eye, and she saw the emotion within his gaze. “She’s absolutely perfect.” 

“She is,” Tessa settled onto the bed beside her sister, “can I… hold her?” 

“Of course,” Jordan grinned, lowering her eyes to look at her daughter. “Are you ready to meet your Godmama, Sam?” 

Tessa blinked away her tears as Jordan shifted the baby into her arms. She cradled her tiny head, supported her little bottom as she stared down at her. 

“I love you so much already,” Tessa whispered to her, using one finger to trace the baby’s tiny knuckles. “You’re so lucky. You have the best parents in the whole world. And I’m going to be the best aunt in the whole world.” She glanced up at Scott, who was watching her with the baby. “And your Uncle Scott and I can teach you how to play hockey, ‘cause he’s been teaching me.” 

Scott laughed softly along with Tessa and the baby shifted in her arms, her eyes fluttering open to reveal the deep blue of a newborn’s. 

“Well, hello there,” Tessa spoke softly, watching as Sam’s tiny fingers curled around one of her own. “You’re more beautiful that I could ever have imagined.” Sam’s eyes connected with Tessa’s, wide and aware. “You’re going to have the most incredible life, Sam. You have so many people who love you. We’ve been waiting a long time to meet you.” 

Sam’s eyes studied Tessa’s face, appeared to scrutinize each detail, and then she yawned. Everyone laughed softly. 

“She probably thinks you’re her mom, too,” Jordan teased quietly, “we look so much alike.” 

“No,” Tessa shook her head, keeping her eyes on Sam’s tiny face. “She knows you, Jord. She knows your voice and your smell. She’s been inside you for nine months. She knows who her mommy is.” 

Tessa finally slid the baby back into her mother’s arms, kissed Jordan’s forehead once more as the infant began to cry softly. Jordan brought the baby to her breast, Tessa watching as she helped her latch. Sam’s tiny mouth rooted against her breast, her eyes fluttering closed as she found her nipple and began to suck contentedly. 

“Look at you, you already have this mastered,” Tessa commented, watching Sam’s face lovingly as she nursed. 

“Oh God, you should have seen the first time I tried before you got here,” Jordan laughed, “the only reason it looks natural is because the nurse walked me through every step.” 

Tessa laughed, glanced toward Charlie, who was watching his wife and daughter with loving eyes. 

“I hope you took care of my sister during labor,” Tessa grinned. Jordan giggled, glancing up at him. 

“I thought he was going to pass out,” Jordan smiled knowingly.

“I was not prepared for the amount of blood and bodily fluid,” Charlie admitted readily. “It scared the hell out of me.” 

Tessa laughed, meeting Scott’s eyes. He leaned against the wall, watching the scene play out before him. 

“And now that you’ve given birth,” Tessa addressed Jordan, “do you think you’ll have another baby one day?” 

“Maybe,” Jordan shrugged, “I’m just so in love with Sam right now that I can’t even think about it. Anyway, I think you’re next.” 

“Me?” Tessa stuttered, laughed, glancing back at Scott as she flushed. “I don’t know about that. I don’t know how good of a mom I’d be.”

“What? Are you kidding? Tess, you would be amazing.” Jordan stroked Sam’s cheek as she nursed, the baby continuing to suckle. Tessa looked up, catching Scott’s eyes. He was watching her with an almost unbearable softness in his eyes, and she had to force herself to look away from him. 

“Hey,” Jordan looked up suddenly, her face alight. “How was your vacation? I haven’t seen you since you got back.” 

“Oh,” Tessa smiled, “it was amazing.”

“Paris,” Jordan said dreamily, glancing down at the baby and then back at her sister. “I’ve been thinking of going back once Sam’s old enough for a plane ride. What did you guys end up doing?” 

Tessa and Scott shared a glance, and Jordan laughed softly. 

“Aside from that,” she shook her head. 

“We played tourist,” Tessa shrugged, “we went to the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre. We had way too much sugar and wine.” 

“We spent most of the time naked in the hotel,” Scott shrugged. Tessa laughed, swiping at him. 

“Be quiet!” 

It had taken them seven months to get there after they’d returned from the lake, but Scott had surprised her at her door one morning holding a bottle of wine and two plane tickets. She’d gasped, hugged him, cried at the sight of the tickets, but he’d simply stroked her hair, pressed a kiss against her forehead. 

“How did you afford this?” She’d met his eyes, her own wide with wonder. 

“I just happened to have a spare six thousand dollars in my bank account,” he’d grinned. 

Jordan yawned now, the back of her hand covering her mouth, her head pressing back against the pillow as she shifted Sam from one breast to the other. 

“We should go,” Tessa stood, leaning in for another hug from Jordan. “It’s getting late and you guys need some rest. I’ll come back tomorrow, okay?” 

Jordan nodded, leaned up and pressed a kiss against her sister’s cheek.

Scott shook Charlie’s hand, placed a soft kiss on Jordan’s cheek before taking Tessa by the arm and guiding her from the room. They walked down the hallway quietly, listening to the cries of newborns as they passed several rooms. By the time they’d reached the car, they were holding hands. 

Tessa thought of Sam on the ride home, ached to cradle her tiny body in her arms, pepper her small face with kisses. The memory of her was tangible, her baby-fresh smell and soft pink skin. Scott made quiet conversation with her in the car, finally meeting her eyes fully when they pulled to a stop. 

“You know Jordan was right,” he reached for her hand, tracing his thumb over her knuckles. 

“Right about what?” Tessa wondered. 

“When she said you’d be an amazing mom,” he responded. “She was right.” 

Tessa took a quiet breath, unable to tear her eyes from him. 

“I don’t… I don’t think…” 

“One day,” he shrugged casually, a soft smile on his face. “When you’re ready.” 

Tessa quieted, smiled as she turned her face to the car window. 

When they arrived at Tessa’s house, they wordlessly made their way inside and up to her bedroom. Tessa fell onto the mattress, pulling Scott down beside her. He laughed softly as she crawled up his body, one leg thrown over him as she began to place soft kisses on his jawline. 

He smiled at her, stroked her dark hair with his fingers as she rested her chin on his chest, their eyes connecting. 

“I’d wait for you forever, Tess,” he touched her cheek. “You know that, don’t you?” 

She pressed a kiss to his chest, made a soft sound of affirmation. 

“I don’t want you to wait tonight.” 

He took a breath, watching as she moved down his body, settling between his legs, her fingers already working at the buttons on his jeans. 

He lifted his hips, keeping her gaze as she tugged his jeans down his thighs, his boxer-briefs the only thing separating her from what she sought. Her fingers rubbed at the bulge between his legs, pressing against the firmness of him, making a soft, satisfied noise as she felt him twitch beneath her touch. 

She was desperate for him in a way she couldn’t quite describe; usually, she would have spent more time teasing him, but feeling the love that had surrounded them in the hospital room, she needed him so badly. She tugged down his underwear, exhaling a satisfied sigh when his erection sprang forth from its barrier. 

She wrapped her fist around his stiffness, stroked him a few times as he groaned softly. She watched his cock stiffen and grow beneath her touch, propping herself on her elbow in order to place a soft kiss against the head before taking him fully in her mouth. 

He sighed, his hips arching into her mouth as she enveloped him completely, the heat and warmth surrounding him and causing him to place a gentle hand on the back of her head. Tessa took him as far as she could, the head of his cock brushing against the back of her throat, humming softly as it did so. He shuddered, rocked his hips. 

She withdrew him from her mouth, licked a stripe up the underside of him, used her tongue and lips to stimulate only the head of his penis before bobbing back onto him completely. 

“Tess,” he whispered, and as she withdrew, one of his hands moved to hold his erection, pressing the tip to her lips but refusing it entrance. “I want to fuck you.” 

Tessa panted, her eyes dark with lust, and nodded. She rose to her knees, unbuttoned her jeans and slid them past her hips. She nearly pulled her panties aside to sink onto him in a hurry, but she kept his eyes as she tugged them down her legs, giving him unrestricted access to her swollen sex. 

She positioned herself above him and he shifted, pressing the head of his cock to her entrance. She met his eyes, whispered to him. 

“I love you, Scott,” she gasped the words as she lowered herself onto him, crying out softly as he sheathed himself within her fully. 

“I love you, Tessa,” he managed, already breathless from the feel of her wetness and heat gripping him. She began to rock her hips gently, palms flat on his chest for support as she bucked against him. His fingers were tugging at her shirt, pulling it up and over her head along with her bra, exposing her breasts to him once more. His hands found them immediately, cupping them in his palm, testing their weight. His thumbs stroked her nipples, squeezed them as she rode him.

It wasn’t the first time they hadn’t used a condom; they had been going without protection for around a month now. Still, each time he slid into her without that slight barrier between them, she couldn’t believe how good he felt. He filled her, spread her just enough to cause almost unbearable pleasure as the head of his cock brushed her inner walls. 

“Scott,” she whimpered his name as he bucked up into her, his hands moving to rest on her lips. She didn’t need the help to move atop him, but it allowed her to bring her hands to her hair, holding it off her shoulders as she wiggled her hips onto him, sinking as deep as she possibly could. “You fuck me so good.” 

“God you’re…” he breathed, “always so tight.” 

“Yeah,” she gasped, “you fill me up perfectly.” 

They moved in breathless harmony, their hips rising and falling to meet the other, taking what they needed and giving what they could. She could feel herself beginning to tighten around him, knew that it wouldn’t be long before his thrusts drove her over the edge, and she allowed her mouth to fall open, meeting his eyes. 

“I’m close,” she warned him, “I’m so close. You’re gonna make me come.” 

“Fuck,” he hissed, “I need to feel you.” 

She nodded, paced her breathing as she began to slam onto him, their bodies meeting with a loud slap as she chased her orgasm desperately. 

“I’m…” she let out a soft moan, “I’m coming, Scott-_oh fuck_!”

His fingers gripped her hips, pulling her down onto him, and her orgasm caused her inner muscles to squeeze his cock, tightening and releasing around him. She could feel him swell within her, knew from his helpless groan that he was close, and a quick snap of her hips pushed him over the edge. 

She could feel him emptying herself into her, could feel the warm wetness as it coated her walls, dripped from between her legs. In that moment, she felt so full, so completely sated, that she didn’t want this to end. She never wanted him to slip out of her, never wanted to climb off his lap. 

She kissed him, his softening cock still buried inside her, wanting nothing more than for this moment to last. She was complete, she knew; each time he entered her it was as if she’d found her missing piece. Eventually, he groaned in discomfort and she slid from his lap, rolled onto her back and pulled him on top of her. 

He laughed, kissed her chin and jaw. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, nipping at her flushed skin. “My perfect girl.”

“Not perfect,” she shook her head, gripping his bicep. “But definitely yours.” 

Scott slid onto the mattress beside her, pulled the sheet on top of them, guarding Tessa’s still naked body from the cool of the air condition. He propped himself up, leaned over her, caught her lips in a passionate kiss. Tessa stroked his face, smiling at him as he pulled away. 

“What would you say,” Scott whispered against her lips, “if I asked you to marry me right now?” 

Tessa blinked at him, her smile fading. It took her a long moment to find her voice. 

“Is this you asking?” She finally wondered, meeting his dark eyes. 

“I don’t have a ring,” he admitted, “I didn’t plan this. But I’m looking at you right now, and damnit Tessa, I can’t imagine not spending the rest of my life with you. I want to be your husband. I want to be the father of your children. I don’t want to waste another minute without you knowing that.” 

Tessa took in his face, the way his dark hair curled at the ends, the brown eyes that had studied her so intimately over the past eight months. 

“I don’t need a ring,” she murmured, tangling her fingers in his dark curls. “I just need you.” 

“Is that a yes?” He asked after a moment, his voice strangled with emotion. 

Tessa smiled softly at him, nodded, pulled him in to catch his lips.

“That’s a yes,” she breathed against his lips. “Under one condition.” 

“Anything.” 

“Promise you won’t call me Jane during our vows,” she teased, grinning. 

Scott looked at her, tilted his head slightly. In his dark eyes, she could see their future; the faces of their children, anniversaries and birthday parties and an unfathomable love that she would have never understood before she’d known him. 

“You’ve only ever been Tessa to me,” he whispered, kissing the tip of her nose. “Always Tessa.” 

Tessa smiled, eyed him as she ran her fingers over his jaw, memorizing every inch of his face. 

"So this is what it feels like," she murmured. 

"What?" His eyebrows furrowed just slightly, turning his head to press a kiss against her finger tips. 

"Getting your happy ending."

"Yeah," Scott responded softly, "except it's not an ending, Tess. It's just our beginning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I do it justice? Please let me know if you enjoyed it. You can also find me on twitter and instagram. Thank you, again.


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